A Symphony of Destiny Unfolds

The first night of playing Fiver Cirths went well, we met as a party and learned a great deal that will be pertinent to our future adventuring together. I am attempting to keep this journal from the perspective of the PC and leave my opinions and observations as the player out of it. That way I get to practice my creative writing skills a bit more. My character was suddenly teleported from Seasonal and there met his new adventuring party.

---

Nestled within the grandeur of Roland's mansion in the heart of Alabaster, serendipity smiles upon me. Amidst the whirlwind of recent adventures, I find solace amidst the ink and parchment, unraveling the intricate threads of my racing thoughts. A chance to sit and think.

Revisiting Lirael’s journal has unveiled the noble soul that paved the way for our odyssey, resisting Natasha's capricious desires and leaving a legacy etched in the annals of time. My musings then take a prophetic turn, acknowledging the importance of recording my exploits for posterity, lest fate entwines my destiny with the shadows.

Let me continue my story from when Merlin approved my choice to drink the Ambrosia and then a series of unexpected events unfurled...

Mysteries Unfold

Darkvane, our dragonborn companion, vanished at that instant. Merlin reassured us, claiming that one called Roland had whisked him away to assist his companions in their hour of need. Distinct echoes of a distant battle, muffled previously by the walls of the tavern and our focus on the events that had unfolded, hinted at turmoil beyond our immediate vicinity. As we prepared to investigate, a sudden explosion ruptured the air, followed by a blinding light and an ensuing silence that gripped the town.

One moment I was standing looking out the window at the Red Rooster and the next…

I found myself in a mysterious grand hallway. Then I was baffled by the sudden appearance of others beside me. Tensions ran high as we cautiously introduced ourselves, not understanding the unknown that brought us together. After introductions I found them to be a Tiefling, Bluebell Sharp, an Echo Knight/Twilight Cleric, and a mysterious Aarakocra named Yeekiess, a cleric with a dash of thieving flair or at least that was my impression.

A surreal encounter follows as a peculiar masked being, clad in clawed gauntlets, steps forth and suddenly drops to the floor like a rag doll. Its actions leave us bewildered, the being resembled a flattened, armor-like entity. Yeekiess unwittingly triggers a bizarre transformation, where the being begins to transform into a copy of him. When we killed it Yeekiess was reduced to half of his life force. 

Paintings and Another Joins the Party

Our alertness heightened, we delve into a room of slashed paintings, reminiscent of legends surrounding an immortal tied to his aging portrait – perhaps named Dorian.

Venturing further, we discover a cabinet that Yeekiess rips a door off of, spilling most of the contents onto the floor and breaking many of them causing quite the racket. In the back of one shelf, it still housed a black orb, a rune lock of unknown origin, now in Yeekiess's possession. While exploring we hear noises from below us and spotted a concealed door beneath a statue which I moved, revealing a trapdoor to what appeared to be a wine cellar. Within was a minotaur that had been teleported here as well. The spell seemed to have taken him a bit off course. He introduced himself as Donkey and seemed a bit dim, but with a great deal of street smarts and able to swing a battle with a purpose. Donkey joined our illustrious band of adventurers.

I did go down and investigate the cellar quickly and it was a wine cellar, where a Skeleton with a cello asked which song I wanted when I appeared. I said Strawberry Fields Forever and it played the song. I did discover a large decanter that looked quite interesting and I brought it up for Bluebelle to look at.

A peculiar cat with two tails slips by the doorway, signaling an unseen presence aware of our intrusion. Setting the stage for meeting our host as it certainly knows of our whereabouts. Then things took an unexpected turn as the cat speaks with us as the house’s Guardian Familiar. It tells of the Matron’s arrival yesterday and that she is the last of the twelve chosen by Natasha who have her favor to eventually rule Crannog. Also, stating that if we destroy any more property, it will deal with the culprits looking directly at Yeekiess.

The Matron

The cat directs us to walk down the hallway, where we discover the Matron, which we find to be a fusion of Underlilly and Gantz with the Underlilly having the superior position, playing a haunting melody on her piano. She hasn’t chosen a name yet and asks to be called The Matron and is looking for two knights who can accompany her in the violin duet portion of the symphony on the piano.

The Matron discusses with us a world where choices shape destinies, distinct from others apocalyptic designs. With visions she imparts, weaving a tapestry of Crannog's history, from the Horned King and six pieces falling to Crannog before the gate to his prison closed, then the corruption of Behenny who hadn’t planned on the direction his reign went.

We were then shown a vision of the story of Merlin and Natasha, who were seen as a loving couple, with a child. After Natasha created the Yuan-ti, the Gods intervened fearing that she was becoming too powerful. They somehow tempted Merlin and persuaded him to betray her. In their final battle, Natasha’s focus was broken for a second when she had thought back to happier times with him, their son, and in that moment of distraction Merlin was able to use Halo to imprison her and that is how she was dissolved into the poisonous slime inside her purple crystal prison. Merlin took their child and gave him to an elven family named Delazon to foster on a neighboring world. The child grew up, keeping the last name Majinni. That child became one of the four heroes that saved the world next to ours. Then shortly thereafter the Gods believed Merlin was too powerful and imprisoned him as well. 

The matron discussed that she was one of the twelve entities vying for dominion of both Crannogs. Though number eleven was seeking the release of the Horned King, whom she would fight to not let that event happen. According to her, number five wanted to destroy the current worlds of Crannog and start over. The first one was going to be a power for corruption and death as well.

The Matron and Bluebell duet
Though Bluebell is a Tiefling not an Elf, sometimes getting AI to get it right is frustrating.
Microsoft AI Image Creator - 2024

Bluebell, once a captive of hags aligned with the Horned King, looked to be thinking closely regarding what the Matron had claimed. It became obvious she had made her choice and magically created a violin and asked for the chance to accompany the Matron while playing the piece that she had been playing. When they do so, The Matron's emotions begin to overcome her and she shifts into Gantz’s monstrous form, while losing herself to the music. As the music ends, a black vine comes from her chest holding an object that is offered to Bluebell. Bluebell then pledges her allegiance to the Matron.

Then the Matron stands and takes out a chain sword/whip and starts flaying some of the wall away from us. It appeared that she needed to do this after the emotional toll of finding someone that could accompany her in the must and shifting into that monstrous form she needed something to calm herself further. It was probably the same weapon that had been used to slash the paintings down the hall. Then she put the weapon away, sat and began to softly play the piano again. 

As she was doing that Yeekiess began to pray, and she stopped playing again and told him I don’t know which God you are praying to, but unless you wish to meet it, don’t pray here. To which he replied I don’t pray to just one, I pray to them all. She just said, you might want to find one, because you open the door to those who may not wish you well, little bird. He made some flippant remark which she ignored and went back to playing her piano. Though there was a flash of annoyance in her countenance, as though I’ve warned him, now whatever happens, happens due to his own choices.

Following The Matron's revelations, she pointed out the deceptive nature of Baldur, leading us in conflicting directions. Donkey shared a tale of a miraculous survival, involving a mysterious artifact that Baldur had retrieved from his belly mouth, triggering a spectacular explosion. Which the group he was with had barely survived.

We were then dismissed. 

As the cat guided us out, we stumbled upon a lifeless body in the hallway that hadn’t been there on our way in. Donkey shouldered it, and upon leaving the building, recognized Roland's mansion down the road a short way. We were in Alabaster where he had been taken the night before.

The Body

Quickly looting the body, Donkey discreetly hid it in the bushes on Roland's property. At the mansion gate, Yeekiess inquired about a place for disposal of bodies, and a guard directed him to a nearby morgue. Yeekiess swiftly departed on his own to handle the matter.

Inside, Donkey, having been there the night before, spoke with a butler who directed us to Roland's Emporium for shopping. Keen on acquiring additional weapons, I negotiated for a Flametongue greatsword and a dagger of warning emptying my purse. Meanwhile, Bluebell examined the body's belongings and identified a peculiar decanter that had been in the wine cellar and an Ioun Stone, two daggers, and a couple of other items. Donkey, intrigued by a horn, was cautioned by the weaponsmith against blowing it within the premises.

Amidst our negotiations, a commotion erupted outside, marked by a screech resembling an Aarakocra in distress. Rushing to investigate, we found Yeekiess laying on the ground stunned, with a maid and a guard not so calmly discussing what had happened. After recovering, Yeekiess explained that the coroner had instructed him to bring the body to the morgue, leading to a clash with the maid, who made two critical hits, stunning him before he could do anything else. Eventually, Roland intervened, ordering the release of Yeekiess with a firm demeanor, emphasizing our guest status. He urged us to enjoy the mansion and its grounds, promising an adventure on the morrow. 

Yeekiess, driven by the desire to worship the gods, any god, expressed his intentions to visit a temple, any temple. Roland, with a note of caution, warned him about the consequences of seeking divine attention from multiple Gods that his prayers might be answered by one and might not be what he expected. Which concerned me as the Aarakocra's behaviors were quite erratic and not what would be expected of most experienced adventurers. Hopefully, he doesn't attract the attention of some Demon or Devil or one of the more chaotic evil Gods of the realm. If he does that will cause other unecessary issues for our newly formed party. As Yeekiess departed, the rest of us returned inside, anticipating the revelations of Roland's plans and a satisfying end to our shopping endeavors.

Wondering What the Future Holds

As I sit here finishing my reflections for the evening, Roland's hospitality has taken some of the tenseness from the atmosphere about misgivings that I might have about our little band of adventurers going forward. The looming uncertainties surrounding Yeekiess's erratic behaviors does tend to cast shadows on the cohesion of our newfound alliances. The Matron's and Roland’s forewarnings about the dangers of Yeekiess's indiscriminate prayers echoes in my mind, and how his choices will impact us.

Within the opulence of Roland's mansion, I grapple with the intricate web of alliances that seems to be part and parcel of this new game of thrones, how Bluebell’s allegiance to The Matron will affect our party, and the looming challenge of these twelve chosen by Natasha and the gambits to rule will change our and Crannog's fate. The enigma deepens, and with each passing moment, destiny beckons anew. As sleep beckons, the echoes of the mountains resonate within, waiting for the day that I can again wander the mountain trails I love so much, without the seeming weight of the world on my shoulders.

And so, as the moon graces the sky, I embrace the uncertainty that shrouds the dawn, ready to rewrite the chapters of my destiny in this fantastical realm. Until the first light breaks, and the unfolding chapters greet us all, the journey continues.