Frilia was still intrigued by the possibility of the spear in the statue's hand, if only to complete the set so she listened to the proposals and shook her head. "We gained this half like you gained yours, through blood and toil. Kursak is right that the spear is not part of the challenge set by the elders... oh by Moradin's beard, all right, I just wanted to see if it completes that statue over there, the right hand is shaped like it's meant to hold one. But it's not worth the amulet.

She paused a second, considering.

"I don't want to fight uselessly, and this place has been deadly enough for both our teams. Why not work together to get out of here and share the spoils at the end?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:03, Tue 14 Mar 2023.

Kursak lifted a single brow in response to Rain's comment on playing nice. After the tabaxi had tried to convince them to leave their opponents to face the shark on their own, Kursak being open and honest about the odds being stacked against them if they wished to push the issue got him marked as the mean one? Kursak's respect for Rain dwindled, and he resisted the urge to move away from her.

Instead, he folded his arms and waited to see what move their self-appointed leader decided to make next.

"Blood and toil," echoed Arekus, his smooth baritone echoing through the chamber.  "You fought one shark.  We fought two."

He stopped as Ayo raised a hand.  "No, I like where this is going.  Nothing says there has to be one winner, after all.  Very well," she said carefully.  "We'll combine efforts and share in the prize.  I'll even let you satisfy your curiosity with the spear -- but it's mine and comes back to me."

"Agreed?"

Rain nodded, still looking at the statue. "Yeah, yeah....but any treasure we find we claim equally. That spear suits you, but be mindful we won't hand over everything on a whim."

"As expected," Ayo nodded and held out the spear to Frilia.  "Go.  Satisfy your curiosity, little one."

Rain nodded, and looked at Frilia. "Go on Fril....we got ya back."

Frilia grinned and got near to the genasi, waiting for her to give her the spear. With the weapon in hand, she approached the statue, using an echo to teleport on the arm so she could reach. Before she slipped it in the hand, she turned to the wastewalkers "Thank you for allowing me to satisfy my curiosity. And we did fight a giant octopus, that was quite a hard fight too, so we also had our share of blood spilled. "

That said, she slipped the spear in the statue's hand, and teleported down on the ground to admire her handiwork.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:04, Wed 15 Mar 2023.

As Frilia placed the spear into the statue's extended hand, the stature erupted with a vermilion light which shimmered as it washed over everyone.  A spectral image of a man emerged from the medallion hung around the statue's neck.  He was dressed in leather armor and a tattered red cape and wore a shield on his left arm.  His face was framed with curly brown hair and bore a melancholic expression.  He spoke, his voice strained and pleading, "I am imprisoned. Please help me."

Suddenly, the ground vanished beneath all of your feet, and you fell, tumbling through a vortex of golden light.  Deeper, deeper, and deeper you fell, then suddenly stopped.  The golden light subsided, and you found yourself suspended in a pitch-black expanse.  You feel water buoying you.  The same vermilion light appeared in the distance, illuminating the melancholy warrior, who lay shackled to the ground by disgusting strands of a fleshy, crimson substance.

He raised his gaze to the heavens and, sobbing, choked out, "Moon Weaver, I beg of you!  Spare me from this eternal torment!  Send me aid!  Let those with power save me!"  Exhausted, he subsided into inaudible mumblings for a time, before he roused again.  Desperate and hopeful eyes cast about him, until they finally alighted on you.

"Thank the gods, there you are!  My name is... my name..."  He seemed to struggle for a moment, then regained himself.  "Alyxian.  My name is Alyxian!  Please save me!  I have been lost in the darkness for so long!  I don't even know how long!"  The warrior dissolved into sobs and tears, struggling weakly against the crimson bands which held him.  "I beg you, take my jewel and bring it to the Cyst of Avandra and..."

The voice begins to fade as you feel the pressure of deep water crushing the life out of you.  Alyxian's voice is the last thing you hear before you pass out.  "Save me. Please."

As you come to, blinking your eyes in the now-fading golden light of the chamber, you see each and every one of your companions -- and the Wastewalkers -- in a similar state.

The spear and the medallion which had hung around the statue's neck both lay on the ground at its feet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:46, Thu 16 Mar 2023.

Hannah fought to remain conscious, getting to her feet. She looked around wildly.

"What in the nine hells just happened?"

Frilia shook her head as she unsteadily got back on her feet and surveyed the scene. Noting the spear and amulet beside the feet of the statue, she picked the amulet and hid it inside her armor, beside the shark one and took the spear, bringing it to Ayo. "Here, I did promise this back. What a weird vision, did everyone see that? Alyxian and Moon Weaver, does anyone know those names? They sound ancient, like that statue. "

Frilia wracked her average brain to try to remember old legends her mom and wizard master could have told her with any significance with those names.

Today: Secret Roll: Frilia Silverstring rolled 10 using 1d20 with rolls of 10.  history

Rain wheeled at the vision as the statue erupted into life. In tbe darkness, she spun, looking around d and fell on the man.

As she came out, she sat up, her how instinctively in her hand, she looked around. She relaxed as she took a breath and saw Frilia move. She looked at Kursak. "OK....what happened?"

Frilia wracked her brain, trying to recall if she'd heard the names before.

ROLL: Frilia Silverstring rolled 10 using 1d20 ((10)).  history, a 20 would be nice!
ROLL: Frilia Silverstring rolled 12 using 1d20 ((12)).  religion
ROLL: Frilia Silverstring rolled 7 using 1d20+6 ((1)).  sleight of hand.

[Private to Frilia Silverstring: OOC: You recall a visit to Vassalheim from your youth.  Vassalheim, the oldest city on Exandria, sometimes called the city of the gods.  And from here, you recall two things:
1) The Moon Waver is an epithet often given to Sehanine, the goddess of the night, the moon, and illusions.
2) Alyxian was the name of one of the many mortal heroes whose legends were forged in the time of the Calamity.]

As Frilia handed over the spear, Arekus stepped forward and clamped a massive hand down on the smaller gnome's shoulder.  His other hand was on the hilt of a handaxe at his belt.  "I saw you try to hide that amulet," he said warningly.  "We all did, sneaky little grab-thief."

Ayo cocked her head to one side.  "Not even five minutes ago, you agreed to split the treasure found from here on out.  And now you seek to conceal?"

Kursak blinked several times and shook his head before standing. The events and names of the vision swap around in his mind, and he grasped at what he could.

Kursak considered threatening the minotaur, edging the situation closer to combat. He considered it more than once, in fact. Frilia was quite capable of defending herself, however, and she didn't need him to fight this battle - or any other - for her.

Kursak watched how the minotaur stepped up and the Wastewalkers' leader backed him up. Then contrasted that with their own hodgepodge group who'd never bothered to select a leader, had not communicated plans, intentions, or angles of approach to anything, and here they were floundering around and making a show of it in front of the competition. Kursak and his companions weren't ready to deal with situations like this. They weren't a group, they were people lumped into the semblance of one by circumstances.

Not entirely sure what he should do with that realization just yet, Kursak remained silent, watching to see where this situation was going to take them while bits and pieces of the visioned replayed themselves through his mind.


07:22, Today: Kursak rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  Arcana. – 6
07:22, Today: Kursak rolled 15 using 1d20.  History. – 15
07:22, Today: Kursak rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  Religion. – 5

Kursak decided to share what he did know, to see if a little information would be sufficient distraction to diffuse the situation, or give time for Rain to decide what everyone was going to do.

"Moon-Weaver is a title of Sehanine, goddess of the night, of the white moon Catha, and of illusions. Alyxian, on the other hand, was a mortal hero dating back to the Calamity. Having received blessings from at least three of the Prime Deities, he stood against Gruumsh and ultimately sacrificed himself to prevent the Betrayer God from destroying an entire continent, and all those who inhabited it."

"In short, a good goddess, and a good man."

While thinking through the vision, he also rethought the situation at hand. "We laid out the terms and they agreed, Small Fri. Honesty and fairness, as in a friendly duel."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 13:20, Fri 17 Mar 2023.

Rain listened to Kursak’s explanation with interest, but her attention went elsewhere when Tyrsoir, near Frilia hissed at the Minotaur. She smiled looking at him. “We agreed…..and though she was wrong to hide it, could you take your beefy hand off her shoulder. Try is still a little wild, but he’s protective of his brood, including her.”

She’s looked at the Ero. “I believe that with you having the spear, then it’s only fair the medallion fall to one of us….you aren’t trying to back out of our agreement?” her hand flexed s around her bow, still in hand after the vision

Hannah stepped up, feeling the tensions rise.

"Easy... easy everybody. It's only a game. There's no need for this."

She glanced around at everybody, her hands spread in a defusing gesture.

Frilia sounded offended at the accusations and moved out of the grip of Arekus (teleporting if needed). "Didn't we just say we would share the spoils? You get the spear, the other half of the loot is that amulet that I will share with the Blades. What's the problem? I don't see a problem, except putting paws where they don't belong."

"The spear was ours before the agreement was made--"
"The fact that you tried to hide it shows that you knew--"

Arekus and Dermot began talking at the same time before Ayo cut them off with a gesture and a sharp word.  "She keeps the spirit of the agreement, if not the letter.  But!  Try to deceived us again, and prepare to have a very bad day."

"Dermot?  The eye?"

Dermot reached into the neck of his plate mail and pulled out the oval white half of the Emerald Eye, handing it to Ayo, who held it forward to expose the circular indent of the missing piece.

"Shall we end this?"

Rain looked at Ero with a feline smile and nodded at her wisdom in making the other two calm down. "Call it a force of habit from trusting teh wrong people, i'm sure it won't happen again..." She glared at the Minotaur. "...as i am sure will be your friends trying to grab us. That kind of behavour also happens again and the day for you will be just as bad."

She returned her gaze, then smiled. "Yes...i think it's time we got this done."

Frilia fished the shark amulet out of its hiding place, pestering internally about her clumsiness... she would need to practice her skills again, Minho would be so disappointed in her.  But now was not the time and it was with a smile that she gave the other half of the eye to Kursak.

Kursak took the the amulet from Frilia and walk over to where Ayo stood. He looked at her amulet, then at the one Frilia had given him, lining them up before pushing his piece against hers to complete the piece.

The amulet Kursak now held was round and green, carved of something like jade.  The amulet that Ayo held was oblong and white, covering the palm of her hand, with a circular depression carded into the center.  As Kursak laid the green amulet over the white, the two amulets clicked together softly.

"After a blistering pace, we have a-- no, more than one, we have winners!"  Elder Colbu's voice rang out once more, echoing through the entire grotto.  "As our clans learned to survive by cooperating in the days after the Calamity,  The Wastewalkers and the Blades of Wildemount learned their best success came from working together towards a common goal!"  A somewhat subdued roar of applause could be heard through the gap in the cavern ceiling.

After a few minutes, Elder Colbu's voice could be heard once more -- this time more conversationally rather than proclamatory.  "If you'll make your way back through the grotto, Elder Ushru and I will proclaim your victory and deliver your prize."

Galsariad spoke up.  "I'll need to wait here.  Maggie needs to be shrunk down or she won't fit through the tunnels on the way out, and I'm exhausted.  An hour's rest is all I need."

"Will the magic of the potion last that long?"

Galsariad shook his head.  "No.  But you still have your potion.  I thought we could give her yours."

"That work for her, but what about you?"

Tiaki hobbled forward, reaching into his robes to produce another potion of water breathing.  <aqau>"Use mine,"</aqua> he said, offering it to the drow.

"You didn't drink yours?  I didn't know you could breathe water?"  Ayo looked surprised.

"I can hold my breath," the tortle said, "longer than most would believe."

Galsariad accepted the potion, withdrew a spellbook from his pack and sat at the base of the statue, beginning to pore over the arcane fomulae inside.

Ayo glanced over at the rest of you, eyes tracking from one to the next.  She looked about to say something, but apparently decided against it.  Leaving the Emerald Eye amulet with Kursak, she  shouldered her new spear, which gleamed in the pale moonlight.  "We'll see you at the entrance," she said, and circled her fingers in the air to round up her party.

---

OOC: Pausing here to allow for any roleplay you might like to do.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:57, Tue 21 Mar 2023.

Rain listened to what was said and sighed, Tyrsoir coming up and nipping her heel. "OOWWW....You little demon!" The drake looked up at her, head tilted in an almost innocent look, and she shook her head.

"C'mon - lets get move. I want to look around before the potions wear off...we may have missed something - and if they found a spear, there may be something else around." The drake seemingly understood and with almost playful jumps, entered the water. "Damn thing's gonna make me lose my fur." she muttered.

"Now that we're out of the water, and not fighting for our lives - who has wounds that need tending?" Kursak said it to his companions, but he turned to look at Maggie, Tiaki, and Ayo nodding to each one as he continued, "That goes for all who need, or wish for it."

Kursak pulled out a healer's kit, and prepared to set to work on anyone who accepted his offer. "I can heal one person well, or three people on a more minor level. Tiaki and Maggie, I feel, are the worst off of everyone here, but Maggie was the one who got nearest to falling. I offer, you choose which you wish to accept."

Once he had finished tending to the others, he added, "Now, we should move on soon. The Mother's Blessing of Night will last only for an hour, so the cave's darkness will soon creep back in on those who received it."

Offer to cast Aid on three people, or a level 2 Cure Wounds on Maggie or Tiaki. Use Healer feat as requested/accepted. Our group stayed mostly healthy, outside of Rain.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:35, Wed 22 Mar 2023.

"Now that the danger has passed, we'll be fine with some rest," Ayo said, giving a nod.  "But the offer is appreciated.  Stay safe, Blades of Wildemount.

So saying, the Wastewalkers departed, apart from Galsariad, who remained behind studying his spellbook.  He waved off any offers of assistance or social entreaties, citing a need to prepare himself for the return journey.

Back in the shark's lair, the Blade passed Maggie the Ogre, who was engaged in finding the dagger she'd dropped when the shark attack had savaged her.  She did not refuse the offer of healing and offered a gruff "Thanks!" and a slap on the shoulder that pushed Kursak down several inches in the process.

Rain led the way back through the tunnels you had all progressed through, taking her time as she went and exploring every nook and cranny along the way.  She stopped to retrieve the vials of liquid Kursak had ignored on their way in (OOC: msg #250-251 in this thread), shoving them into her pack before continuing on.

As you all emerged from the entrance of the grotto, Elder Ushru approached and declares you joint winners of this year's Festival of Merit.  Asking for the Emerald Eye, he reclaimed it and handed over a pouch of 100 gold pieces as the victor's prize purse.  "In addition, rooms have been prepared for you at the Unbroken Tusk, free of charge."

Pasch declined to stay at the inn, demanded her share of the prize purse -- and her kitten back from the elder, declared herself to be done with the whole lot and headed off, presumably seeking companionship of her own for the evening.

Minho also took his share of the winnings, but promised to see you all in the morning, citing a need to return to his brother, still recuperating in the temple.

OOC: Pasch and Minho each took 14gp from the pouch, leaving 72 between the five of you remaining.  This has been added to the sack carried by Hannah.

As you made your way toward the Unbroken Tusk inn, you were followed by several members of the crowd who seemed to want to party to keep going.  Congratulations and admirations were pressed in every ten or twenty steps, as well as offers to drink and retell stories.  Many people seemed interested in knowing exactly what happened inside the grotto.

This ended as Elder Ushru escorted you to the Unbroken Tusk, still parked in its spot between two main road of Jigow.  The gigantic Horizonback tortoise the inn was built upon seemed asleep, as it paid no notice when the innkeeper lowered the rope ladder from the front door.

"Come in, come in!  We've got your rooms ready if you're tired and need of rest, or there are pies if you've worked up an appetite!  Don't worry, love -- it's not the fish pie, though I still say it's quite good" she said to Frilia as the gnome passed her by in the entryway.  (OOC: You would all recognise the half-orcish woman as Agathe, the one who ran the pie-eating contest in the Festival.)

As the last of you entered, the rope ladder was bought up, the lantern outside was extinguished, and the door was shut, muffling the sounds of the small crowd outside.  "You've taken all of my rooms, so the place is yours for the night," Agathe didn't sound at all upset by the idea of a full house, and set about seeing to your needs with a minimum of fuss.  Food was brought for those who were hungry, and you were each shown to your rooms for the night.

Dreams plagued each of your nights.  Dreams of water, of darkness, of figures bound in red ropes crying out for the Moon Weaver.  But eventually exhaustion payed its toll, and your sleep became dreamless.  The questions of dreams and water to do with the vision in the grotto could wait until morning, under the clear light of the day.

OOC: And that's where we'll end tonight's episode.  ;)  I'll mark a long rest on each of your character sheets.  We'll take a short break (no more than a week, I'm guessing) to handle things like leveling up (I'll reach out to each of you individually for this), and possibly bringing in some new players.  And we'll pick up again in the morning.