ADVENTURE LOG XXVIII

POOLSIDE AT THE ACROPOLIS

The attack was swift, sudden, and violent as the Flowers were suddenly beset by a number of sinuous multi-coloured tentacles. The threat of the Red Mantis assassin's attack was suddenly forgotten as the massive tentacles erupted from the central pools of the Acropolis and smashed through doors attacking indiscriminately at both the band of adventurers and the lone remaining assassin. 

An ugly putrescent liver spotted tentacle, jaundiced in colour, by nothing more than an acute innate awareness seemed to focus on the dark-suited sword-wielding magus and the Shoanti bone-slayer warriors that had formed up in a dark corridor of the Acropolis. The huge writhing wormlike form spat a viscous stream of yellow acid that burnt all those bottle-necked in that confining corridor, causing serious terrible injury, the smell of burning melting flesh and the cries of pain testament to the tentacles dangerous attack.

The white almost ghost like translucent tentacle attacked the beautiful pink haired bard Calli, no doubt attracted by the sound of her voice which was bolstering the attack of the Flowers and was now highlighting her position. The appendage smashed into the bard, the suckers down the side of the limb seemed to siphon the very essence of the young singer. Though she wasn't bloodied, the pain was intense as the assault left her drained and hollowed, somehow physically diminished.

Another tentacle, pale-flesh coloured, lashed out at the Red Mantis assassin. Its cruelly sharp tip was almost blade-like, and it raked through the red armoured assassin's chest plate with ease, exposing the man's innards. Somehow the red mantled assassin still stood, the pain of the massive wound not registering as he faced the restless pulsating limb, its sharp blade following the movement of the assassin almost in mock of the assassins hypnotic sword dance.

A fourth tentacle pulsing with blood, its vascularity straining and stretching at the very skin of the worm-like limb and turning it a monstrous red colour, a cruel wicked stinger dripping a dark green liquid hung ready at the crown, lashed out at the half-orc Travis only for the green-skinned barbarian to slip clear of the poisoned attack.

The massive eruption of violence spurred the young dragon-lineaged sorceror Taylan into action, instinctively unleashing a ball of raging fire straight at the grasping, pulsating monstrous limbs. The heat of the fire was immense, the corridor containing the fiery blast was scorched and blackened by the inferno. As the flames died down, the terrible damage was immense as three of the attacking tentacles were horrendously scorched and burned, the smell sickening and almost overwhelming.

The bard’s anger at being so hollowed out by these grasping vines of flesh caused her to draw deep within herself and to channel that energy into action as she jumped into the air and stomped down on the ground directing her anger with a thunderous strike of her booted foot that sent shock waves not only shaking the foundation of the ancient building but also damaging the ethereal limb that had assaulted her!

Rune, the Eagle Harp’s lyrakien, really upset and annoyed by the attack on her companion Calli accompanied the bard’s thunderous attack with a blast of holy starlight of her own.

The fire and frenzy of the moment forced the tiny drake Focker back into the shadows ready to administer aid as the Shoanti Bone-slayers let loose with their composite bows raking the vile tentacles with barbed arrows.

The sounds, the smells, the speed of the attack all added to the chaos of the battle, coupled with his concern for his young charge Calli who had suffered a massive attack from these worms of the Acropolis, all acted as fuel for bowler-hatted sword-wielding magus. Drawing on the dark incandescent anger that sparked like brilliant white light within himself the dark be-suited man directed that rage down his finely crafted rapier. A massive discharge of destructive lightning coursed through his steel into the beast. Not able to contain the massive power load the massive jaundiced tentacle exploded, ozone tinge-ing the air with its acrid taste.

Simultaneously the massive human barbarian Byron with rage fueling his attack over-reached, leaving himself open to an attack, but the red pulsing tentacle mercifully missed its strike. The fighters instinct reasserted itself and with a destructive upper cut Byron drove his clawed fist deep into the rancid flesh of the red worm.

The Red Mantis assassin that only moments before was trying to gut the barbarian but was now fighting alongside him against the greater threat, stuck with two blows from barbed blades tearing chunks from the monster before them.

From behind the two standing warriors the green skinned half-orc Travis leaped at the beast, a feral cry on his lips, his brutal looking axe descending in a vicious arc, finding that vital spot, a strike that cleanly severed the red poisoned tentacle in two. The limb thrashed as it died with Travis' axe embedded in its body. The half-orc none too gently pulled out his axe from the body of his opponent snorting in dismissal at the felled limb.

More tentacles erupted from the rancid looking pools of water, spraying polluted putrid water around the Acropolis as they emerged, their jaundiced looking bodies grasping and seeking those that attacked them. Both these tentacles seemed thicker with suckers trailing down their lengths, ready to grasp any that came within their reach.

Immediately the dark coated magus was attacked by one of the thick coiling appendages as it tried to wrap itself around the sword-wielder. As it tried to grapple its victim Nightingale could feel his life force being drained away leaving him feel weakened and fatigued.

The other newly emerging tentacle possibly guided by some inner primal intelligence or just out of pure instinct assaulted Travis hoping to crush the green skinned warrior and drag him into the watery depths of the Acropolis pool. The thick yellow liver-spotted limb managed to wound the green skin warrior in its attempt to crush him but the mighty orc proved too strong resisting the limbs fearsome grapple.

The Mantis assassin who had somehow managed to survive his previous encounter now proved not so fortunate as out of the dark depths a tentacle attacked severing the mans arms from his body, leaving his armoured body to clatter on the floor.

The innate nature of White Maw surfaced in the mage Taylan, who immediately upon seeing the resumed threat to himself and his family let loose with his own Dragon breath, not fire this time but cold, freezing burning, arctic cold! The breath attack was so immense that it seemed impossible that a figure so slight could contain such power. The white ghost-like feeder that had menaced Calli so effectively was now dead- destroyed by the freezing breath attack, another tentacle more pink in colour retracted back to the safety of the pool.

Despite her many wounds Calli kept up her singing her voice inspiring all those who heard it. Though drained and fatigued she maintained her voice and song, its ethereal magic galvanising those around her, inspiring them them to reach beyond themselves to more quickly end this threat they faced. But she pushed herself further reaching deeper within herself and touched the tentacle closest to her casting a subtle spell that suddenly turned the writhing, whipping tentacle into into a lump of grace-less flesh, slowed and plodding suddenly the creature was less dexterous making it more prone to being hit!

Rune quickly zipped over to Nightingale, her tiny wings flapping with the speed of a humming bird, and alighted onto the shoulder of the Black Heart. She gently kissed his cheek and though he was still heavily beaten and bruised and far from well the Lyrakiens' healing touch brought a little colour to his face, helping him feel a little more himself.

The Shoanti Boneslayers let fly, pinning the tentacles with a few arrows from their heavy composite bows.

Still the fight raged!

Nightingale attacked with his rapier which now appeared blackened and seemed alive with a vascular pulse. It seemed to become part of his hand slim and long like a vicious sharp fang.

He attacked three times with blinding speed!

Opening strike: a long extended stance and Lunge....the blade struck true! The tentacle reacted as the dark blade seemed to pierce the yellowed flesh pulsing with the strike!

Second attack: Cover up with a passing step followed by a merciless upward slash...the blade ripping through the main body of the bulbous mass... again the blade seemed to pulse more strongly, a vascular beat that seemed to draw essence up the blade.

Finishing blow: Downward two handed stab driving the blade/tooth deep into the head of the tentacle finishing the maggot-like mass, the blade seeming to pulse with more life channeling that essence into Nightingale who despite the many wounds he had taken throughout this vicious encounter now appeared to be coursing with life, stolen life but still life.

Byron attacked with his claws now retracted allowing him to move quicker, believing that with more strikes he could finish the beast that stood before him. The rage flowed through him, Calli's song inspired him and the immediate threat powered him. He stood straight, punching into the body on the pond dwelling beast. His spiked gauntlet-ed power attacks were quick and brutal. His own rage and strength driving the metal spikes! The power generated exacerbating the wound! Calli's song urging him to do more! The Amulet around his neck lending yet more strength to the attack! Ice formed and added to the damage caused! His armoured fists rending the maggot-like long limbed feeder in front of him.

Byron stood before the beast and bellowed his outrage at the tentacled mass. He'd pummeled the beast and still it stood like an insult to him. It was bleeding, it was ragged, there was practically nothing left of it, yet still it stood!

With that Travis stepped forward and negligently swung his axe cutting the bloodied mess down.

As the tentacle fell the ruins of the Acropolis twitched and shook as yet another tentacle emerged from the pool, its tip now seemed like a pair of scissoring blades. Scanning the assembled host before it the tentacle lunged towards one of the Shoanti. Everyone reacted to the attack realising the danger that this particular limb represented as it would simply take the head of anyone it attacked!

It needed to be felled urgently!

Nightingale reacted, his magically extended reach allowed him to hit the the vorpal limb with his rapier, inflicting damage, but not enough to stop it.

The tentacle’s attack was too quick for anyone else to intervene as it snapped towards the Boneslayers. The targeted Shoanti warrior managed to avoid decapitation from the scissor like blades, which instead snapped his bow and inflicted some serious wounds on his body.

Urgency galvanized everyone! It needed to be dealt with now before it could attack again.

Taylon quickly sought to enervate the creature, to weaken it, robbing it of its vitality.

Calli again cast Touch of Gracelessness, hampering the deadly limb still further.

The arrows of the Boneslayers peppered the limb as they realised the devastating nature of the threat they faced.

The Flowers’ swordsman valiantly stood before the approaching tentacled threat, and believing in the abilities of his companions and the unseen damage they'd already incurred upon the deadly giant tentacle, quickly struck with his rapier which once again resembled a long blackened incisor. Each strike was delivered with unerring precision, Nightingale's speed and skill administering devastating blows which seemed to siphon the very energy and life from the wicked vorpal limb. The blackened blade like some hungry suckling vampire greedily sucked the very life from the tentacle which slowly crumpled and died a dried up husk, bestowing upon the sword wielder the stolen life and who now glowed with almost unnatural vitality.

As the last of the tentacles fell silence descended upon the corridors of the Acropolis and the warriors there.

After the sounds of battle the silence hung like a ponderous weight in the air.

Only to be broken by the clapping hands of Krojan.

Applauding their efforts or mocking their efforts in the titanic struggle.

Byron couldn't be sure though he detected a mocking tone in the Shoanti leader who had clearly hidden away from the battle taking no part in protecting those around him whilst enjoying the protection they had provided. Indeed even when the Boneslayers were themselves threatened the Shoanti war lord had raised no hand in their defense. The Korvosan fighter wasn't sure if the others thought as he, and though he knew they needed to win over the Shoanti at that moment he so wanted to wipe the mocking tone from Krojan's mouth.

Byron was broken out of his reverie by Calli offering Krojan one of the Red Mantis helmets, her sweet voice grounding his annoyance, and then his fatigue hit him diverting his attention from the Shoanti leader.

Krojan refused the helmet, and after those in need healed up the three groups resumed their explorations- this time more cautious to keep their voices down.

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Having exhausted the rooms on the level they were at, they once again found themselves stood around the emerald-lit shaft to the floor below. Working together they were able to ascertain that the circular disc made of etched wedges could be placed atop it, and the carved lines lit up from behind. They turned their heads this way and that, before Taylan deciphered it as a map of what the once-mighty acropolis had looked like before being reduced to the singular tower they stood in. It indicated there were four rooms below, and Calli took a rubbing of the map before they returned the disc wedges to where they were found.

That mystery solved, they floated one by one down the shaft to the long chamber below, leaving only Krojan’s three fellow Sklar-Quah behind to stand guard.

The wide corridor was made of the same polished black granite flecked with red as the rest of the tower, though the ceiling here was only fifteen-feet high. The corridor ran North-South, and the strange tube had gently dropped them at the south end of it. To the north a five-foot opening in the wall led to another, smaller room. They spread out and moved cautiously down the corridor, wary for what other traps might have been left behind.

About half way down the hall Calli remembered the map having shown there should’ve been a small room to the east, but when she searched the wall she found where the opening had once been was sealed over by solid stone. She pointed it out to the others, and a debate was held over the chances the room was entirely filled with stone, or closed off to trap something dangerous within. Calli was concerned, suggesting they wait until they finished checking the area before blindly leaping in, but was outvoted by the curiosity of the party. Gale took Taylan’s arm and cast dimension door, aiming for the center of where the room should be according to the map.

The duo arrived safely in a pitch-black room with stale fouled air. Nightingale case light, and the first thing they saw were a jumble of five crushed humanoid skeletons in the south-eastern corner. Stone niches in the south wall contained a few pieces of clutter. Gale bent to examine the bones, but at the gentlest touch they crumbled to dust. In the remains they recovered various promising-looking items. A crystal locket depicting a two headed dove, a pair of sapphire earrings, a bejeweled holy symbol of Lissal, a Magic Beast Bane Dagger, a Cloak of Resistance of notable power that Gale put on right away, and a Scabbard of Keen Edges. On the cluttered shelves they recovered various dinnerware- bowls, a Bottle of Air, a Decanter of Endless Water, silverware- including a Sustaining Spoon, and a few useful scrolls.

As they gathered what they could, it dawned on them the skeletons had sealed themselves in the room to try and defend against the tentacles, but that it hadn’t been enough. Goosebumps raised on their skin, and they hurried back to the waiting crowd to explain what they’d found.

Entering the last room elicited a gasp from Calli, and they all marveled at what they saw. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the final chamber were painted to resemble a starry sky, giving the illusion of walking through space. A ten-foot diameter stone sphere floated five feet above the floor. Three short metal rods protruded out from the sphere’s lower hemisphere like a tripod resting on empty air. The sphere was carefully carved with landmasses on oceans, complete with tiny forests, rivers, and mountains. The bard walked around it, inspecting the geography on display, and explained in hushed tones that it wasn’t just their world- it was Golarion as it was before the star stone fell. She pulled out her notebook and began frantically making sketches.

Rune, her lyrakien companion, warned that the globe radiated a strong magic, and Calli pondered how fantastic it would be if touching somewhere on the globe would teleport you directly to that place. Taylan questioned if with the drastic changes the planet had undergone, you would go to where a land mass currently was, or could you end up adrift in the ocean where it had been.

“I’m going to try it.” She found their current location easily enough, and tucking away her notebook, delicately made contact between her fingertip and a spot outside of where the Acropolis had stood. Nothing happened, other than a strange sensation of the magic within the globe waiting for her to give it a command it could understand. If touching her desired location hadn’t worked, perhaps she could teleport to a particular person, and she silently envisioned her brother, Archie. This, too, did nothing, and her shoulders slumped slightly. She tried locating the missing casket of Taylan’s, but the globe remained unresponsive. Hoping for some clarity, she removed her Harrow Deck and cast identify on the globe. The sphere was too old and too powerful for much detail, even with the spell, but it did make clear that the device had been used to study the stars.

“I wonder, then, if you could use the sphere to change the stars in the room, to see where they’d be in different seasons?” Nightingale mused as he rested a palm on the stone, and looked up at the constellations painted around them. His body froze still, then vanished entirely.

Everyone went quiet, and waited. The stars in the room hadn’t moved at all. After a long minute, Calli began tapping her foot, and Taylan had started suggesting they use sending to check on Gale, when the magus reappeared exactly where he had been.

Nightingale hissed as he removed his left hand from the sphere. He flipped it over, flexing and unflexing his fingers, and as if tattooed in gold upon his palm was a seven-pointed star matching the ones on the Lissal shrines above. He instinctively knew that for a short period of time, maybe a week, he’d be able to summon considerable monsters to aid in battle if he channeled the Thrall Keeper’s Mark.

He explained he’d found himself hanging in space, looking down on Golarion. The vastness was overwhelming, and he had lost control of his focus, sending his mind spinning out past other planets and stars, giving him glimpses of alien locations and creatures he’d never seen before. He had felt his consciousness start to splinter, but by closing his eyes and focusing on returning to Calli, he was able to return again.

“Do we all have to do this?” Taylan asked.

“I think we do,” grumbled Byron, “the more of us who return with it, the better the group will look.”

Calli went next, and with her right hand firmly against the stone thought of the stars. As Nightingale had said, she appeared hanging in space. The view was beyond anything she could imagine, and her bardic heart was full to bursting trying to think of ways to describe it in song. However, as she considered lingering, she felt an eerie sense that she wasn’t alone, and that the longer they were there the more attention they’d attract. She returned to the chamber and warned the others to be quick. Her right palm burned where the mark had appeared, and she felt she’d be able to send an extraplanar creature away from their own plane should she need to, using her new temporary power.

Taylan, then Byron, then Travis, and finally- not to be outdone- Krojan, one by one placed their hands on the sphere and returned marked. All of them but Travis had chosen their left hands, and the summoning magic that came with it.

Curious if she could receive another after a second trip, Calli again touched the globe. She found herself in space as expected, but immediately felt her mind spinning out as Gale had described. She braced herself against the sensation and returned to the starry room, sadly with no extra mark.

It’s at that moment that Byron, Calli, and Nightingale all got that now-familiar creeping sensation of being watched. They looked around until they spotted the magical scrying sensor. Calli and Taylan tried to dismiss it magically, but it stubbornly remained to spite them. Byron and Travis presented the sensor with their most enthusiastic finger gestures, and the whole group said goodbye to the Acropolis.

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Though he seemed reservedly impressed, Krojan took his warriors and left them after a few more sarcastic comments that The Flowers mostly managed to ignore. It clearly grated on Byron, but his discipline won out over his pride. The rest of them- The Flowers and the four Boneslayers, continued to travel North through Lyrune-Quah territory looking for the Moon Clan Truth Speaker.

They rode until nightfall to put distance between them and the strange Tower, and found an empty cave set into a cliff face to sleep within. Though The Flowers were more accustomed to the long hours travelling now than they had been at the start of their journey, their muscles still ached, and they were grateful to be neither on a horse or fighting.

Calli and Nightingale were keeping watch at the mouth of the cave as the rest slept, making low conversation, when they heard an oncoming stampede through the darkness. One with far too many legs. Calli instinctively used a silent image to disguise the cave entrance as simply being more cliff wall, but as the sounds came closer they saw it was a bed of giant scorpions rushing their way. Illusions would be no use.

Nightingale threw out his arm, and flung a small ball of flame that grew larger in motion until it impacted the ground on top of the pests. They were scorched, but not stopped, so he threw a second fireball their way, which finished off the lot of them.

The sudden light dazzled their eyes and ruined their nightvision, so the duo had to cast dancing lights in order to stroll over and harvest the meat of the creatures. Some for the party members who needed breakfast, and a good deal for the baby hippogriff’s demanding beak.

Their luck held, and the following day as they traveled they were approached by six bald women, tattooed scalps featuring various stages of the moon in the patterning, wearing light blue scaled short dresses with white fur trim and high slits to either hip allowing total freedom of movement, with furred leather boots, and armed with star knives: oversize weapons that resembled a compass made of blades, one dagger for each of the cardinal directions. The Moon Clan scouts demanded to know why the strangers walked their lands, and Calli explained they planned to pass through the Cinder Maw and requested their Truth Speaker to witness the deed.

The women were impressed outsiders would even attempt such a thing, and sensing no deception, and due to the presence of the Skull-Clan Shoanti, they lowered their guard. They explained the Truth Speaker Akram would be returning to their village in a few days, but there was a problem. Their sacred temple- The House of the Moon- was being inhabited by a highly territorial creature they hadn’t been able to drive off, yet. Akram’s pilgrimage would need to be rerouted if they couldn’t get it cleared in time.

Byron replied in perfect Shoanti for them to lead the way, and offered the aid of The Flowers however they may need it.

The Boneslayers with them declined to travel to the temple, not wanting to go too far into the revered space of another tribe, and began to make camp where they were to wait until the Flowers returned with the Truth Speaker.

On the way to the temple one of the older Lyrune-Quah described the beast causing all the trouble. “Called a red reaver, the large creature resembles a warped red gorilla, with an elongated skull, six small eyes, and two withered-seeming wings that defies nature to work for short distances. It has powerful fingers that end in brutal claws, rending any that try to enter the temple.” The woman, her moon tattoo was full and radiated gracefully curved geometric patterns over her head and down her neck, continued, “The beasts are drawn to artistic beauty, which is why it’s made our temple its lair. It never sleeps, and is infinitely stubborn. Killing it would be the only option.”

Another of the women, this one with a lace-like crescent moon tattoo floating like a boat in shoreless waves, asked, “Why do you all seek the redemption of the Cindermaw?”

“We’re on something of a pilgrimage, ourselves,” Calli answered, and held up her right palm to show the Thrall Keeper’s mark, and the other adventurers followed suit.

The Moon Clan were impressed, and the older woman admitted, “The truth is, I only took over the band a few days ago. The beast killed our previous leader, and a number of others. The first few were caught in surprise, before we knew the reaver had moved in, then the others when they tried to face it.”

“Leave it to us,” Byron assured them, “We’ll clear it out for you.”

The woman bristled, “We aren’t cowards, we don’t need you to do it for us. Offering to help is one thing…”

He made a placating gesture with his hands, “I meant no offence, I am not implying you’re incapable. As part of our pilgrimage we need witnesses to verify what we’ve done in service to the Shoanti. We do this out of obligation, not ego.”

The warriors were appeased by his words, and the rest of the Flowers were impressed, too.

The temple came into view. A silvery stone shrine atop a low promontory in the foothills. It somehow looked brand new among the wind-worn features of the surrounding stone it rested upon. The House of the Moon shimmered with a slightly reflective sheen, and a thirty foot tall opening allowed access to the ground level. The archway was framed with the peacock-like feathery tail of an immense star monarch butterfly carved into the building’s facade. The wings furled to the left and right, fanning around two side towers attached to the central spire which rose to a height of 100 feet. Above, a silvery sphere capped the central spire’s peak as if a moon had fallen out of the sky to be impaled upon the temple.

Their leader finally introduced herself as Tekarake, and taught them how the temple was an ancient structure built by an army of lyrakien to serve Desna’s faithful as a place of worship in the age of darkness.

They looked at the tiny lyrakien riding on Calli’s shoulder, trying to imagine how many of the creatures it must have taken to make such a huge building. Rune puffed up with importance, and said in a casual way,“Yeah, that was our doing,” as if it had been no trouble at all. She was lying, though, as she hadn’t been there, and didn’t know anything about it.

Two of the Moon Maidens stayed back with the horses and Byron’s hippogriff Shank. The other four cautiously approached the entrance with the Flowers and discussed how they were to proceed.

The plan was simple. Calli would go in first, fascinate the beast with her voice, and while distracted the others would sneak in, surround it, and all strike at once. If they were lucky, that’s all it would take. They activated their usual buffs, Calli used the magic in her hairclip to change the colours of her hair and clothes to be softer and less at odds with the theming of the temple, and she went through the archway.

The bard found it strange to be walking into danger alone, but was pleased to find she felt no fear at the prospect. The others would be right behind her, and she had confidence in her music. The room inside was decorated with symbols and imagery sacred to Desna, including a massive star knife made of white stone measuring twenty feet from tip to tip set onto a pivot in the center of the floor. In spite of its size it looked like it rotated easily to accurately reflect the month and day. Marring the ethereal beauty of the building were a pile of picked over animal carcasses and seven dead Moon Maidens heaped along the southwest corner of the hall. Calli didn’t linger on the grim sight, looking up into the opening to the second floor above for signs of the red reaver. A giant shining moon-like sphere emanated a shimmering curtain of moonlight at all times that reflected up on to the ceiling an accurate depiction of the clear night sky, regardless of the actual weather or time of day outside. It was indeed beautiful.

Leaping from the floor above, the monster charged into view heading straight for Calli, who immediately began playing the Eagle Harp of Desna she carried with her. The reaver easily weighed thousands of pounds, but at her singing the anger melted from its vicious face, and it slowed to a stop about ten feet in front of her. Though she felt her fascinate ability had failed to effect it, it sat peacefully, some of its many beady eyes closing in pleased admiration. It seemed so tame, so appreciative, she had a moment of guilt for what they were planning to do. Only a moment, though, as the dead women in the room silently attested to the necessity of it.

One by one her backup crept into the temple, making a wide circle around the reaver to take a place surrounding it. Occasionally the beast would glance at one of them and growl as they moved past, but Calli was pouring her heart into her performance, and as if hypnotized the monster wanted to look at nothing but her. Once the rest of the Flowers and all four Lyrune-Quah, and a bear Byron had summoned with the mark in his left hand, were ready, they moved as one to attack the beast.

Taylan magically drained life essence from it with enervate, Byron pounced and began tearing into it with his claws, Nightingale made to stab at it- but turned his blade aside to avoid accidentally skewering Byron, Calli wove a hold monster spell into her song, ensuring the beast could not retaliate if it managed to survive the onslaught, Rune zipped overhead and set off a starlight blast, the warrior women attacked with their star knives, and Travis aimed his axe at something vital and found purchase.

Its eyes were now full of fury, and it remained staring impotently at the bard holding it magically in place while everyone tore it apart.

Taylan’s eye beams seared into its face, and Nightingale was finally able to find somewhere to plunge his rapier, sending a super-charged blast of lightning deep into its body, stopping the creature’s heart. It collapsed under the weight of the attacks, and seeing it was dead, the Moon Maidens rejoiced.

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In gratitude for the assistance, the women gathered armor and weapons from their fallen and offered them to the Flowers, who gratefully accepted the gesture.

Byron harvested some of the beast for Shank, and Travis took a few teeth to add to his growing pile of trophies. Everyone aided in cleaning the dead animals from the temple, and the Maidens set about preparing their dead comrades for whatever came next. They indicated that the Flowers were more than welcome to sleep within the temple while they waited for the Truth Seeker to return, suggesting Desna might even bring them a dream.

Calli recalled it had been more than a week since Rune’s last ‘tea party’ with Desna, and that night gathered the Flowers together to make use of the commune, thinking there could be no better location than the goddess’ own temple. Rune was thrilled to have so many interested in joining her tea party, but apologized that most of them would need to use their own cups. The lyrakien set up her own tiny dishes, and as the ritual completed, Desna appeared.

Desna herself, the goddess of freedom, luck, and travellers, who shaped the heavens themselves. Unlike in the woods where she had been a humanoid shape of smoke, she appeared here in all her unworldly beauty. An elven woman with butterfly wings that sparkled like a night sky, with dark hair and silvery eyes, wearing a diaphanous gown of spun moonlight. Everyone felt a comfortable pressure, as if they’d been wrapped in a cozy blanket by her presence.

Rune curtseyed, and explained Calli would be asking the questions this time.

Calli thanked Rune, and then Desna, and knowing the spell allowed for six ‘yes or no’ questions, began: “We’re trying to track down the missing casket that goes with Taylan’s necklace. Has Putrifax already gotten the casket?”

“Yes, it has.” Desna replied. And then, to everyone’s surprise, she continued, “She took it from the circus.”

Calli looked at the goddess with wide, excited eyes.

Taylan mused, “Oh, she can say more to us?”

Desna turned to him, “Well, you’re in my temple.”

The enormity of this opportunity overwhelmed Calli. There was so much they still needed to know, so much information that would be invaluable to them. For once, the bard stumbled over her words, and she stammered, “Uhm… what is she trying to do with the casket?”

With a coy smile, Desna answered, “I believe she’s trying to open it.”

The rookie mistake caused some of them to groan, and Calli frantically tried to reword it. The group started brainstorming how to word it to get the most possible information, wondering if it even still had to be worded as a ‘yes or no’. Calli asked, “Would you tell us everything you know about the casket?” and immediately slapped her forehead as the goddess gave the obvious reply.

“If you ask the right question.” Desna accepted a tiny cup of tea from Rune, and waited.

Frustrated over the two wasted questions, Calli settled for simple. “What is inside the casket?”

The goddess leaned forward, “An item of immense power, a ring, that will provide you with no immediate benefits, but it will provide you with a second life.”

Changing tactics, they then decided to ask about their other dragon problem, and Calli used a question suggested by Byron, “By what means do we defeat Kazavon?”

“There is no shortcut here I can give you,” she looked regretful, “The present course you’re on to learn what the Shoanti know will be the best method, but in addition you will need your own strength, and magic, and cunning, and bravery.”

It seemed strange the goddess couldn’t tell them herself what secrets the Shoanti guarded, and it gave them a deep feeling of being a part of something predestined. Fate itself was in play, and The Flowers of Korvosa were in starring roles.

With one question left, Calli looked at Taylan, and then asked Desna, “What are the current conditions of Taylan’s baby?”

“Which one?”

Everyone turned to Taylan, who looked at the goddess with confusion.

In the taunting sing-song voice all siblings have used at one point or another, Calli couldn’t resist, “You got Alice preg-nant!”

His confusion spread into shock, but he tucked that away to think about later. “My eldest.”

“It resides well in its mother’s arms, unaware of the danger around it.”

“Thank you,” Taylan said in all earnestness.

Calli echoed his sentiment, “Yes, thank you!” And as the deity graciously inclined her head to them Calli added, “I hope you’re proud of us!”

Desna smiled, gave Rune back her tiny teacup, and burst into thousands of butterflies that circled the party once before flying up into the shimmering sphere above them and vanishing in the shimmering curtain of moonlight.

The Flowers described the unexpected audience they’d had with the goddess to the Lyrune-Quah, they nodded knowingly. Tekarake explained that once a year, those who worship Desna and seek to speak with her from within her temple would find their powers elevated. In this instance Rune’s commune had been cast at a higher level than she would normally have been able to accomplish. They had been quite fortunate, indeed, to have had such direct answers.

Calli held the Eagle Harp to her chest and thought about how many times Desna’s lended a quiet hand on their adventures. Even Little Focker had taken to worshiping the Great Dreamer. She decided that it seemed only right she started adding a prayer to Desna when she prayed to Shelyn going forward.

The next two days of unbearable waiting around were filled by each in their own way. Most notably, Nightingale had a personal breakthrough while tinkering with his gear, and managed to increase the benefit he would get from it. He happily informed the others that with a bit of time, and money for supplies, he’d be able to improve more items for the party as they traveled.

Finally, on the 20th of Desnus, the rest of the Moon Clan arrived. They were introduced to Truth Speaker Akram, a wizened old man of kind and curious disposition. He warned them he could not be lied to, and he could not lie. Calli asked if lies of omission counted, and he was pleased there was someone in their group willing to discuss such matters in more detail.

The Flowers caught him up on their mission, and he was intrigued enough to agree he’d bear witness for the next part of their journey. He had never witnessed anyone attempt the trial of the Cindermaw. Akram shared useful advice, warning them not to kill the gargantuan worm when they faced it, for if the creature was killable then it the task was clearly not worth the trouble, and would not give the desired impression upon the Sun Clan. He also reassured them the whole party need not undertake the ordeal, one would be enough to satisfy.

Byron and Travis launched into a competitive discussion of who it should be, both seemingly wanting the glory of the achievement. The decision was made that they would go through together, as though they don’t need to, it might be easier to break back out of Cindermaw from within if the two of them worked together.

He spent time getting to know each of them a bit better, asking many questions, and seeming genuinely delighted by all of them. He seemed to interact with other Shoanti in a similar way, his bright eyes striking through to the heart of whomever he was talking to, but he already knew the members of his tribe. He wanted to learn more about The Flowers. He was particularly interested in Taylan. He was very entertained by how in spite of all life has thrown at Taylan, the young half-elf was the most fish-out-of-water.

Akram allowed Calli to take the memory of the Cindermaw’s hunting grounds so that Taylan could teleport them all (including the waiting Skull Clan guides) straight there in a few trips, which would cut out days more travel by horseback. Unlike other memories she’d glimpsed through other people, everything within Akram’s mind was the literal truth- unclouded by emotion or bias. Where most people have some sort of filing system influenced by their personality or interests, walking through his mind was simply like walking along side him in real life as things happened.

The Flowers said their goodbyes to the Moon Maidens they’d gotten to know over the previous two days, and Akram returned with them to the waiting Boneslayers. Calli passed the memory of their destination to Taylan, and by stowing their smaller companions in a bag of holding with the bottle of air on the first trip, and then the Boneslayer Nalmid on the next trip, he was able to get everyone to the outskirt of the hostile stretch of Cindermaw feeding grounds. They set up their single tent for the night, and tried to get some rest before two of their own willingly walked into the mouth of danger.