Finvarra, New Party Members, Mercenaries and Scrying

Tonight's session was heavy on the role-playing side of the game. Introducing new characters, Cain and Mathandril and bringing back Donkey. Planning what to do next and finding a way to hire a mercenary company to assist Varrin in his Game of Thrones intrigues. A lot happened, but no battles other than that of wits in tonight session.

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In the ethereal beauty of Oona and Finvarra’s Palace, nestled within the whimsical Feywild, a meeting unfolds that would ripple through the realms. Finvarra, co-sovereign of this fey domain, stands before Varrin, now one of the Witching Hour’s 12 Chosen. The air is thick with tension and unspoken histories as the party, weary from their travels, succumbs to a much-needed respite.

Introductions are finally made as per Fey custom, but no gift given to the Lord of the Manor, both customs had been neglected in the flight to the Palace and subsequent delays. Varrin stepped forward, his voice carrying the weight of his new title. Garouche and Lanki, names unfamiliar yet significant, are spoken into existence, acknowledged by Finvarra with a nod that seems to reclaim an old favor. When he asks for Lanki’s name, it is given. Now, alas the Githyanki no longer has a name and Finvarra smiles and graciously gives it back to him. Garouche doesn’t fall for the same trick and Finvarra smiles.

They sit down to discuss what comes next.

Probably not exactly what the party looks like but a simple representation
Image created by Microsoft Image Creator - 2024

The Sentient Journal, a chronicler of truths and secrets, makes itself known as a creation of The Merchant to both chronicle and to maintain an awareness of where the party. is Its pages turn to reveal an entry from Miwa, igniting a fury within Varrin that burns hotter than the brightest Fey fire. Garouche, ever enigmatic, speaks of a hunger for blood—a request that hangs ominously in the air. He is directed to go to a room following a maze-like set of directions where he will be provided what he needs.

Cain Lokris joins the party at the behest of his benefactor Finvarra, with an air of mystery and intrigue regarding his past. Cain tells the party he has been reading Lirael’s journal and has a grasp of what is going on and has happened before. He asked Varrin if he still had Excalipoor and Varrin looked surprised but once reminded looked in his bag of holding and found it. Cain asks if he could have it and Varrin tells him it is his.

Sentient Journal and Theren

Finvarra speaks of The Merchant, one he names as an old foe called Gilgamesh, an ancient and powerful being who has been fragmented and scattered across time and space. One defeated by him and others five to ten years ago. That the sentient journal is bound to him is troubling but will have its uses. 

A new quest is clear: if the one called The Merchant aka Gilgamesh has marked the former party member Theren. The party will need to find Theren, and if he is beyond the dungeon, end his affliction before it consumes him and sets loose another monster upon the world.

Varrin’s Vision of Crannog

Varrin describes his vision for Crannog if he should win this Game of Thrones within the Witching Hour. How he is driven by a desire to reshape the world, he will seek the Mantis during this armistice. His ambitions are grand—power, change, freedom to choose, and attempt to assume the mantle of an ArchFey beckons him. Yet, amidst this turmoil, Miwa’s absence and the changes done by Roland casts a shadow over his heart, along with the missing Fu and Kenzo.

Cain, knowing that Finvarra has worked with Roland on multiple occasions, asked his benefactor what his relationship with Roland is currently. He is told that he’s worked with Roland on several occasions and that Fu Wa and Kenzo are now living in this palace, while as we know Miwa went with Roland. Which seems to evoke no response from Varrin, who didn’t hear that because he was so lost in thought about all the planning that he was needing to do.

Journal commentary - This is something that could come back to haunt the party.

Planning Ahead

The party does some planning to set up a holding in the Mist Woods in Varrin’s old, abandoned town. While taking into account the Blood God’s temple, the Mist Dragon, and the Horned King’s cult/Moonscar’s activities there. Then have Varrin’s actual private sanctum in a cavern a distance away. However, he will need more than just the party members to perform all this. Finvarra suggests contacting the mercenary companies (The Gradient Company or Historia) in the next city over.

Finvarra offers to give the teleportation circle coordinates for that city, but Varrin has to agree to not learn the coordinates of his Palace. While Nala suggests that perhaps Varrin needs to talk with her aunt, but after thinking about it suggests he visit the city first see what the mercenary companies can offer him.

Fu Wa

After that the party departs for their rooms with thoughts of rest on their mind. As they go by a training room and swords clanging and Varrin sees Fu. He stands and watches her spar with a disappointed dad face and looks angry. Both act angry and hurt, then Varrin just watches. “What's done is done.” her instructor tells. “Channel it, use it.” “She was my friend and from the sounds of things - not anymore” Fu cries. “You’ve made your bed now lie in it. Instructor tells her to finish the fight.” It was you or her. Friendships are not always forever broken; change is part of life. Not always the same” 

“I hurt her Varrin.” Fu cried again, stopping her sparring. They go back and forth detailing how things fell apart and how Varrin’s eventual conversation with Miwa is going to hurt Varrin really bad. “She cried out for you, crying. I don't think you realize how hard it was to lose Cid, Landris, Lirael.” Varrin in anguish tells her, “Who I am, a material person, whose viewpoint has changed. I am playing the game, something I don't want to play to fix it. I didn't realize what was going on when it was happening. I am taking steps to ensure that it never happens again.” “I can’t make everyone happy as much as I want to. I trusted Roland."

Fu tells Varrin, “Roland made us fight to choose who went and who stayed with him.” “If you can save her, save her, if not put her out of her misery.”

Varrin attempted to explain further, but the instructor told him that Fu needed to get back to training.

Journal Observation - While I attempted to make heads or tails of the conversation between Varrin and Fu, the conversation was so emotionally charged and so fast paced that I’m sure that I missed much, so I attempted to convey the context, more than the actual words.

The Next Day

The next day dawns bright and clear, a stark contrast to the intrigue that shrouds the party.

Lanki, decided to leave the party at this point, bound to return to the Inverness Magic College, departs with a gift from Finvarra—a candle to light the darkest paths. He is allowed to use the Palace’s teleportation circle back to the Academy, while the others prepare for the journey ahead. The Academy welcomes him back, and Miwa, ever the enigma, greets him with a tome of Transmutation and Necromancy.

When Miwa sees Lanki at the Academy, she knows that the party is short a person and that Varrin needs Donkey back. She teleports back to Roland's and explains that to Donkey, who agrees it is time to get back to adventuring. Miwa helps him get ready and takes him to the teleportation circle to get him reunited with the party.

Taking their leave of Finvarra who gifts them each with a candle to light their way in their darkest hour. They set off for the city, the party’s arrival is marked by the presence of Donkey, who materializes with them. As they greet one another, and start joking around they jokingly call themselves the Donksters 

The Gradient Company

Varrin leads the party towards The Gradient Company building. Inside there are mercenaries dressed to impress, who await their next orders. Garoche, revealed as a plane's walker, contemplates the profitability of war with the others. The Yuan-ti who greets them and takes down what Varrin needs and has to offer. He learns that The Gradient Company also has bounties and then he pulls out the Black Knight’s heart, everything comes to a screeching halt - it is a piece of the Horned King. 

The party is escorted to a separate room until things are sorted out. While there, they start joking around they jokingly again call themselves the Donksters and suddenly the party now has a name The Donksters, as they now call themselves. Yes, they are heroes in their own right and their tag line is “We’re heroes' baby!”. Bounties and quests line their path, each step bringing them closer to their fateful game—a game where the pieces are gods, demons, and the very essence of darkness and light.

After The Gradient Company Jupyter’s figure out what is going on with the Black Knight’s heart and armor. The Yuan-ti has been authorized to ask if Varrin is willing to trade it, they will provide whatever it is that he needs for the heart. The owner of the Gradient Company will then deal with the heart. 

A solicitation to work for Varrin on the job board and two mercs respond almost immediately. 

Welcome to the Party

The Yuan-ti asks if they should send a merchant or salesman, after explaining what that entailed, Varrin chose the merchant, his name turns out to be Bill, who keeps his face obscured, but has yellow eyes - a shield guardian. If members of The Gradient Company are killed, please attempt to return the bodies and don’t purposely kill member of the Company, we won’t work with you again if you do.

The first mercenary is a Shadai-Kai, he has lots of vials and claims to be an Apothecary whose name is Mathandril. He’s spent most of his time learning about the body – how to deal damage or conversely how to heal others. Mathandril is joining the party.

The other is named Lalonis Merridiem a Viera (Rabbit Folk). She uses a giant bow and is able to construct Golems. Bill and Lalonis are going to reconstruct the village and other Mercs will be sent to the village to help settle and protect it. While expecting people to show up and move in. Still looking for a place to setup his actual private sanctum, but it should be fairly close to the village.

Game of Thrones Update

Cain asks if Varrin can tell how the others are doing in Natasha's Game of Thrones

• 1, 9, 10, 11, 12 are left in the game.

• 12 - Alterra

• 11 - Moonscar

• 10 - Gabranth

• 9 - Princess Helena

• 1 - Varrin

Varrin Scries Gabranth, the Mantid and Miwa standing there. They were talking about the Ultros Parasite that had been in Gralnir, that Miwa had found, discussed it with the Ultros, and a deal being made for one of them to take it. After handing over the parasite she gets bag a gold, but there are two others in the background, and they block the divination. One points at Varrin and he can tell he is pointing from a tower in Inverness and a teleportation circle close to this spot. Varrin magically makes a sketch of the area and sees a white violin bow and a violin on Miwa’s side. A sketch, a bow, a violin—these are the tools of their trade, the instruments of their destiny.

Miwa leaves by teleporting out and Varrin ends the scrying. He attempts to send a message to Miwa.

The Garden

Donkey gets a message from Miwa, she used Roland’s Sending Stone, with plane shift coordinates, so she and Varrin can talk - it worked. The party arrives in a gorgeous garden, Donkey stops to smell the flowers, they aren’t daisies, but they are pretty, just don’t eat them Mathandril says. Mathandril pulls out a book looking at flowers to see if they are usable for any of his purposes. A silent princess statue in the garden? Whose place is this? The party is in an enclosed space with bunch of spider flowers there as well the flowers seem to be reaching towards the sky.

Here, in this tranquil haven, the next chapter of their saga begins to unfold. They catch a glimpse of someone, about thirty-five feet in the air floating there, as if waiting. It appears to be Miwa waiting to talk to Varrin.

Varrin casts a fly spell to go speak with her. The rest of the party casts different abilities to fly and follow behind. I notice that Cain holds back as if he is attempting resolve what appears to be a question in his own mind. While looking around to see if anyone else is in the area, the remainder of the party follows behind Varrin.