Visiting the Circus and Jax

During last week's session, I was pretty preoccupied with other things going on in real life, so the recap just isn't as detailed as normal. Otherwise I'm getting used to how to play Gralnir and think I'm going to enjoy him as a character.

Ah, gather 'round and lend an ear, for I've more tales from me journal to share, woven from the very fabric of magic and adventure. 'Tis a chronicle of challenge, camaraderie, and the curious turns of fate.

As of late, I've been conversin' more with me Ultros Symbiote, a partnership as strange as it is profound. We're workin' on how ta properly use this Telekinesis that I’ve been playin with for a bit before she became a part of me life – together. The Symbiote seems tickled by me efforts in Bladesinging, and it’s willing to aid in me spellcasting—hopefully without me singein' me beard off too much!

Upon leavin' the Palace, a moment of humility came over me when we got back ta the courtyard. I had been a bit of an arse to the Purple Knight upon our arrival, blind to the depth of the turmoil and attacks o the palace prior to our arrival. With a contrite heart, I offered him a sincere apology, to which he responded not just with feigned acceptance but with the honor of a true gentleman. He took the time to be shakin' me hand with his gauntlet removed. 'Twas a gesture I’ll not soon forget. Swallowin me pride is difficult, but this time t’was the correct thing.

While we lingered, waitin' for our passage upon the teleportation circle to return us to the Academy, our stalwart companion Donkey, wearied by the numerous battles he’d been apart of lately, declared his need for respite. After a brief exchange with Roland, who has become a kind of a mentor to him, via a sending stone, a portal opened before him. Donkey left to seek the peace he so desperately craved. We'll miss that stubborn bovine, but I can respect his need for quieter days. I think we all can.

A sight troubled us before the portal shut—a lass, Mei Wa according to Varrin, appeared beside Roland, her limbs now metal prosthetics. Though the change disheartened Varrin, after we heard a bit of her tale, we all knew it was the dire cost of surviving an even harsher fate.

Me brother and I, amidst this parting, contemplated who might fill the void left by Donkey. We remembered a Postgraduate student at the Academy, one who trained under Dolgrim, who might fit our needs. Though a bit haughty and as overbearing as a storm cloud, this Githyanki lad might just have the mettle we need in our troupe, albeit we'll sorely miss Donkey's martial prowess.

Inverness Magic Academy

As we arrived back ta the Academy, Professor Hart was toilin' over the teleportation circle, making repairs and improvements. She chided us for skippin' formal sabbatical requests and headin out like we did earlier. I retorted, half in jest, that the Headmaster would likely see the necessity, given the Princess herself had charged us with this quest. Hart just shook her head, she might mean well, but me thinks she plays too much by the artificial paperwork rules that managers use to control subordinates and hasn't lived much in the world beyond the Academy's walls. When there's a crisis, paperwork is the last thing we need be worryin about.

As we navigated the corridors, a shiver ran through the Weave—an ominous ripple of magic, foretellin' dire events. Beside us a lad's eyes turned amber, and a number branded itself upon his arm. ‘Twas Gapranth, the missing Behenny, now revealed as number 10 on Natasha’s list. Despite the tension that his appearance brought, he invoked the Peace Pax of the Academy, and we upheld it, thwartin' any immediate confrontation. Despite Varrin wanting to quickly take care of him. Gapranth, wary yet knowin of our obvious alliance with the Princess after the conversation he had ta of overheard betwixt Professor Hart and us.

Gapranth, obviously some sorta Were-beast stopped and sniffed in Varrin’s direction and told him that he smelled his sister Scathach on him. Varrin explained that he was friends with Scathach and Jeanine, but that we were looking for where Baldur was keeping her. At that point Gapranth almost smiled, then handed Varrin an envelope he said would disclose the whereabouts of the kidnapped Jeanine before departin', likely seekin' sanctuary or a place to hide beyond the Academy’s walls from others of the Witchin Hour.

As we contemplated our next move, another pulse of magic coursed through the Weave. An urgency gripped us, a call to action that could not be ignored. After some persuasion, Lanki, the haughty Githyanki, agreed to join our ranks, perhaps more out of the allure of the offered academic credit than camaraderie, but welcome nonetheless.

With our new companion in tow, we made for the Headmaster’s office to advise him of our mission and that we needed to leave sooner than later. To our surprise, he was already poised with our sabbatical papers, blessin' our departure with a mix of solemnity and encouragement. Especially for Lanki to hone his revival skills—likely a necessity in the trials ahead.

The Circus

Jax, after an Enlarge spell was cast on him
Image created by Microsoft Bing AI Image Creator - 2024

Our journey through the teleportation circle led us to the circus at Calaheim per the Princess’s information. Upon arrival, a bizarre welcome of fire dancers, Circus tents set up around us, and rabbit masks being handed out by bizarre actin clowns and jesters - hinting at the strangeness to come. As we delved deeper, a child ran towards us and wove a fearful tale of parents turned to ribbons and his mother put into a box, set a grim tone for what lay ahead. We steeled ourselves for whatever lay within the darkened tent, he pointed to, as he ran away from the circus area.

Inside, our descent into chaos began in earnest—a fall through darkness into a pit of balls, a fiery confrontation with a clownish foe, and the unsettling transformation of our surroundings into a realm of plushies, and ourselves being turned into stuffed animals. All this mayhem overseen by the enigmatic Jax, proclaiming a twisted game where winning might restore order or doom us to a fluffy fate forever.

Ah, there's more to this twisted tale, fer amidst the strange happenings at the circus, a vision given by Jax himself seized our senses, unveiling a haunting past that bore heavy on the air like the dust of ages. 'Twas a glimpse so vivid, it left us breathless and more determined than ever to unravel the threads of this dark tapestry.

In the vision, a young lass, no older than a sprout, clutched a stuffed rabbit with all the love and hope a wee one could muster. 'Twas in an orphanage she dwelt or so it appeared, the walls grim and the air thick with the scent of lost dreams. With the innocence of childhood, she placed the rabbit in a circle of mushrooms, a fairy ring, whisperin' a heartfelt plea for a friend. And by the ancients, magic stirred—the Fey answered and the air shimmered. The plush toy rabbit transformed before her eyes inta a towering Harengon. Who held out its hand to her.

But joy turned to shadow swiftly. The scene shifted—adults, likely those meaning ta protect the child from the giant Harengon, came and tore the girl away. What followed was a vista of chaos and despair—the grounds turned inta a battlefield strewn with the fallen, the cries of the dying fillin' the air, and amidst it all, Jax, the stuffed rabbit made flesh, walked away from the devastation. The little girl was nowhere in sight.

The vision faded, leavin' us with heavy hearts and minds aflame with questions. What tragedy had birthed such a guardian as Jax? What drove him to create a realm where children laughed while their parents vanished into nightmares? Why had he been chosen as one of Natasha's twelve?

This haunting revelation only deepened the mystery, bindin' us ta this quest with chains forged from sorrow and determination. that our journey through Jax's twisted games was more than a trial of courage—it was a quest to mend the broken pieces of a story that began with a child's innocent wish. I wondered, what happened to the little lass and mayhap if we found her, we might find many answers to this puzzle?

We knew then, standing by that trapdoor, looking down at the abomination that other plushies called Stitches. That the way forward was fraught with peril. Then instead of bombardin Stitches with ranged missile or spells, me fool brother leaps through the trapdoor and lands atop the abomination. At that point, I smiled and jumped as well, it was time to get rid of the denizens of this bizarre circus and to restore what had been lost or twisted by Jax's strange magic.

Thus, the stage is set for a battle of wits and magic in Jax's fantastical lair, our resolve will be tested at every turn. As I pen these words, the adventure continues to unfold, with each moment weaving deeper into the tapestry of our story. And so, I must pause here, for the tale is far from over, and the heart of the adventure beats strong within the weave of magic and mystery that envelops us.