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Aphonion Tales: Adventures in the Spice Lands and the War in Hanal, a tween and teen D&D game (edited notes, posts Tuesdays, most recent 3/7/23)
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<blockquote data-quote="CPaladin" data-source="post: 8465960" data-attributes="member: 7030144"><p>Session 32 (October 3, 2021)</p><p></p><p>6 Tar-Chund</p><p>They plan for the interrogation of the doppelgangers. Noah will be good cop, Elyn bad, and Iados will pretend to be a secret infiltrator serving the Queen-Empress.</p><p></p><p>Sr. Agnes casts zone of truth. They both fail.</p><p></p><p>“What are your names, you two?”</p><p></p><p>“Corporal Fredrick. He’s Lonzo.”</p><p></p><p>“How long have you worked for the Queen-Empress?”</p><p></p><p>“Her advisor spoke to us before we traveled south with the advisor, and he gave us instructions.”</p><p></p><p>“Were you doppelgangers before you left Hanal?”</p><p></p><p>“No, the priest of the Pale Bone gave us a silver liquid to drink. It hurt tremendously and changed us… You don’t want to ever drink that liquid. We were to maintain loyalty to the Queen-Empress.”</p><p></p><p>“Were you telling the truth when you offered to switch sides?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes. We have no love for the Queen-Empress after what she did to us. But who wants a doppelganger?”</p><p></p><p>“What can you tell us about the advisor? What did he look like?”</p><p></p><p>“Very pale—ivory white, you might say. And he looked like what the stories say that elves look like—I’ve never met an elf, mind you.”</p><p></p><p>Ravokris tells the rest that the Noldar—the first elves to switch to Morgrath—and their chief servants, the twilight elves and the shadow elves would match that description. The advisor now clearly serves only the Goddess of the Pale Bone.</p><p></p><p>They don’t know who any of the other doppelgangers were, but they did see 14 vials. Their vials were smashed after they drank the potions, so they wouldn’t know if there were vials before that. The group presumes that there must be at least 14, possibly more doppelgangers.</p><p></p><p>“Do you have any loyalty to the Goddess of the Pale Bone?”</p><p></p><p>“No, we hate her for making the potion we drank, but we are compelled to serve. Any of her greater servants can force us to obey them, and we would have no choice.”</p><p></p><p>“Did you report to anyone? Any leader in the field?”</p><p></p><p>“We used to—there was a lieutenant in the command group—but not since the great battle. The soldiers we met were tougher than we expected.”</p><p></p><p>“Where is the command group now?”</p><p></p><p>“All dead.”</p><p></p><p>“What was the army’s objective?”</p><p></p><p>“There was an artifact in Seachen we were to capture. We never reached it though—we couldn’t break through.”</p><p></p><p>“Are there any doppelgangers like you infiltrated into the Princess Anastasia’s council?”</p><p></p><p>“No.”</p><p></p><p>“I think we can trust them.”</p><p></p><p>“You shouldn’t trust us! We can be compelled to obey any of the Goddess of Pale Bone’s greater servants!”</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p>They spend a while discussing what to do next.</p><p></p><p>They decide to send Iados out with Mitsuki and Ravokris’s familiar crab as a scouting group, trying to find the orc community they met the last time they were in the Spice Lands, while the rest of the group travels along more slowly with a supply wagon.</p><p></p><p>Shortly after Iados heads off, several people notice that there is something shimmery in the forest, making the whole forest seem a little shiny.</p><p></p><p>Iados speculates that this is about fairies, talking to Ravokris’s crab.</p><p></p><p>Once the rest of the group points out the shininess, Sr. Agnes casts detect good and evil, and senses a diffuse holiness in the woods about them, but concentrated on the path ahead of them.</p><p></p><p>Ravokris advocates going to the Sunken Lands, because a whispering voice told him this in his ear.</p><p></p><p>They follow the path, which slowly turns over the course of several days, during which they encounter nothing dangerous. They come to the banks of a great river, but the path continues directly over it, sparkling all the way. Noah hacks at a tree to try to make a bridge of sorts. A voice starts criticizing him as soon as he starts cutting, and tells him to take the magic bridge instead. “I know her pretty well, being a brownie and all.”</p><p></p><p>After some discussion, they cross the magic bridge. As the last of them finish crossing the river, the sparkles behind them disappear.</p><p></p><p>They proceed onwards. After night falls, a large table drops out of the sky, and a variety of dishes drop onto the table without spilling a drop.</p><p></p><p>Noah says, “Well, this is very nice. Thanks Whimsey! Or whoever the patron of this is. Compliments to the chef, that’s what I mean.”</p><p></p><p>Sister Agnes heads to the far side of the road, eats cold rations, and reads scriptures of the Weeping Woman. After Noah notices, he stops eating and comes across and joins her.</p><p></p><p>After another 12 days of travel, with a table of food dropping each evening, they come to the edge of the Sunken Lands.</p><p></p><p>18 Tar-Chund</p><p>They have a tremendous vista on a canyon hundreds of miles wide and long. A long stone staircase switches back and forth down into the canyon. The staircase is cut stone, but ancient. The group follows it down. The deep, jungly forest below has different trees from anywhere else. They are palms and tropical fruit trees, heavy with fruit. When they reach the bottom, the path continues, but the sparkles are gone.</p><p></p><p>Noah knocks on several trees, calling out to any fairies or spirits within, but gets no response. Iados cuts open a fruit, and takes a nibble, finding that it tastes very good. It seems larger and more pure than any they have seen before. Elyn noted two separate pairs of hooves that have moved away very rapidly. They look like they ran, but since they are clearly separate pairs on opposite sides of the path, they must be two bipedal, hooved creatures.</p><p></p><p>There are birds and a small number of other animals in the forest, and there are signs of fruit that has been eaten by the animals. Iados leaves a small cut of food on the ground and a small lizard comes forward and eats it.</p><p></p><p>As they proceed along the trail, a humanoid figure with goat legs, covered in splotches of paint and carrying a staff with a multicolored spray of flowers at the top steps out of the woods into the trail.</p><p></p><p>“Hello!” says Noah.</p><p></p><p>“Hail!” says the satyr.</p><p></p><p>“Why did the great Whimsey lead us here?”</p><p></p><p>The satyr nods deeply at Whimsey’s name. “You look for lost ones?”</p><p></p><p>“Lost ones?”</p><p></p><p>“Lost people. In armor. Deep in jungle, in sleeping cloths.” The satyr continues to answer, in broken Common.</p><p></p><p>“Is there anything dangerous in the forest?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes. Green. Dangerous. Big like me.” He makes a gesture with many fingers.</p><p></p><p>“Oh, like skitter-skitter web.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes.”</p><p></p><p>“What is your name?” asks Noah.</p><p></p><p>The satyr jumps back, looking afraid and horrified.</p><p></p><p>“No, not your true name. What can I call you?”</p><p></p><p>“Witchdoctor.”</p><p></p><p>Iados asks. “If you don’t mind, could you give us an explanation of the forest and its people?”</p><p></p><p>“Ah. History! Many many turns ago, rock, big rock, sunken lands. Then: trees grow, brush grows, life comes, we follow, cousins follow, cousins follow. Then, many fear. Because of. Others fear because of,” gestures spiders. “We ask our Lady for protection.”</p><p></p><p>“What happened to the rock?”</p><p></p><p>“Other end of Sunken Lands. We make offerings of fruit and flowers to make it never move again.”</p><p></p><p>After some discussion, they figure out that “cousins” means centaurs.</p><p></p><p>“Do you know who cut the stairs? They do not seem like either satyr work or centaur work.”</p><p></p><p>“Short ones! Fur on faces. Very strong.”</p><p></p><p>“Dwarves?”</p><p></p><p>He nods. “They come. They want rock that made place. Say very valuable. Lady talk to them. Lady talk to their holy one. She tell him they should leave. Their holy one tell them. They very mad, but they go.”</p><p></p><p>They also tell us that the spiders came 500 years ago, crawling down the wall without stairs. If they get too numerous, they would drink all their blood. But they don’t want to try to kill them all because they are part of nature.</p><p></p><p>Noah asks, “What happen if Big Lady not keep you safe?”</p><p></p><p>“We die.”</p><p></p><p>“Why would you die? Why would you not live like the others of your kind?”</p><p></p><p>“Others? There others?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes. And there is a great kingdom of your cousins.”</p><p></p><p>He is clearly surprised.</p><p></p><p>Noah worries that the big rock might be part of the Goddess of Pale Bone’s plans. He asks to be shown to big rock after they see the Hanalian refugees. The witchdoctor says that the Big Lady won’t mind if they see the rock—as long as they don’t try to take it.</p><p>[End session 32]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CPaladin, post: 8465960, member: 7030144"] Session 32 (October 3, 2021) 6 Tar-Chund They plan for the interrogation of the doppelgangers. Noah will be good cop, Elyn bad, and Iados will pretend to be a secret infiltrator serving the Queen-Empress. Sr. Agnes casts zone of truth. They both fail. “What are your names, you two?” “Corporal Fredrick. He’s Lonzo.” “How long have you worked for the Queen-Empress?” “Her advisor spoke to us before we traveled south with the advisor, and he gave us instructions.” “Were you doppelgangers before you left Hanal?” “No, the priest of the Pale Bone gave us a silver liquid to drink. It hurt tremendously and changed us… You don’t want to ever drink that liquid. We were to maintain loyalty to the Queen-Empress.” “Were you telling the truth when you offered to switch sides?” “Yes. We have no love for the Queen-Empress after what she did to us. But who wants a doppelganger?” “What can you tell us about the advisor? What did he look like?” “Very pale—ivory white, you might say. And he looked like what the stories say that elves look like—I’ve never met an elf, mind you.” Ravokris tells the rest that the Noldar—the first elves to switch to Morgrath—and their chief servants, the twilight elves and the shadow elves would match that description. The advisor now clearly serves only the Goddess of the Pale Bone. They don’t know who any of the other doppelgangers were, but they did see 14 vials. Their vials were smashed after they drank the potions, so they wouldn’t know if there were vials before that. The group presumes that there must be at least 14, possibly more doppelgangers. “Do you have any loyalty to the Goddess of the Pale Bone?” “No, we hate her for making the potion we drank, but we are compelled to serve. Any of her greater servants can force us to obey them, and we would have no choice.” “Did you report to anyone? Any leader in the field?” “We used to—there was a lieutenant in the command group—but not since the great battle. The soldiers we met were tougher than we expected.” “Where is the command group now?” “All dead.” “What was the army’s objective?” “There was an artifact in Seachen we were to capture. We never reached it though—we couldn’t break through.” “Are there any doppelgangers like you infiltrated into the Princess Anastasia’s council?” “No.” “I think we can trust them.” “You shouldn’t trust us! We can be compelled to obey any of the Goddess of Pale Bone’s greater servants!” * * * They spend a while discussing what to do next. They decide to send Iados out with Mitsuki and Ravokris’s familiar crab as a scouting group, trying to find the orc community they met the last time they were in the Spice Lands, while the rest of the group travels along more slowly with a supply wagon. Shortly after Iados heads off, several people notice that there is something shimmery in the forest, making the whole forest seem a little shiny. Iados speculates that this is about fairies, talking to Ravokris’s crab. Once the rest of the group points out the shininess, Sr. Agnes casts detect good and evil, and senses a diffuse holiness in the woods about them, but concentrated on the path ahead of them. Ravokris advocates going to the Sunken Lands, because a whispering voice told him this in his ear. They follow the path, which slowly turns over the course of several days, during which they encounter nothing dangerous. They come to the banks of a great river, but the path continues directly over it, sparkling all the way. Noah hacks at a tree to try to make a bridge of sorts. A voice starts criticizing him as soon as he starts cutting, and tells him to take the magic bridge instead. “I know her pretty well, being a brownie and all.” After some discussion, they cross the magic bridge. As the last of them finish crossing the river, the sparkles behind them disappear. They proceed onwards. After night falls, a large table drops out of the sky, and a variety of dishes drop onto the table without spilling a drop. Noah says, “Well, this is very nice. Thanks Whimsey! Or whoever the patron of this is. Compliments to the chef, that’s what I mean.” Sister Agnes heads to the far side of the road, eats cold rations, and reads scriptures of the Weeping Woman. After Noah notices, he stops eating and comes across and joins her. After another 12 days of travel, with a table of food dropping each evening, they come to the edge of the Sunken Lands. 18 Tar-Chund They have a tremendous vista on a canyon hundreds of miles wide and long. A long stone staircase switches back and forth down into the canyon. The staircase is cut stone, but ancient. The group follows it down. The deep, jungly forest below has different trees from anywhere else. They are palms and tropical fruit trees, heavy with fruit. When they reach the bottom, the path continues, but the sparkles are gone. Noah knocks on several trees, calling out to any fairies or spirits within, but gets no response. Iados cuts open a fruit, and takes a nibble, finding that it tastes very good. It seems larger and more pure than any they have seen before. Elyn noted two separate pairs of hooves that have moved away very rapidly. They look like they ran, but since they are clearly separate pairs on opposite sides of the path, they must be two bipedal, hooved creatures. There are birds and a small number of other animals in the forest, and there are signs of fruit that has been eaten by the animals. Iados leaves a small cut of food on the ground and a small lizard comes forward and eats it. As they proceed along the trail, a humanoid figure with goat legs, covered in splotches of paint and carrying a staff with a multicolored spray of flowers at the top steps out of the woods into the trail. “Hello!” says Noah. “Hail!” says the satyr. “Why did the great Whimsey lead us here?” The satyr nods deeply at Whimsey’s name. “You look for lost ones?” “Lost ones?” “Lost people. In armor. Deep in jungle, in sleeping cloths.” The satyr continues to answer, in broken Common. “Is there anything dangerous in the forest?” “Yes. Green. Dangerous. Big like me.” He makes a gesture with many fingers. “Oh, like skitter-skitter web.” “Yes.” “What is your name?” asks Noah. The satyr jumps back, looking afraid and horrified. “No, not your true name. What can I call you?” “Witchdoctor.” Iados asks. “If you don’t mind, could you give us an explanation of the forest and its people?” “Ah. History! Many many turns ago, rock, big rock, sunken lands. Then: trees grow, brush grows, life comes, we follow, cousins follow, cousins follow. Then, many fear. Because of. Others fear because of,” gestures spiders. “We ask our Lady for protection.” “What happened to the rock?” “Other end of Sunken Lands. We make offerings of fruit and flowers to make it never move again.” After some discussion, they figure out that “cousins” means centaurs. “Do you know who cut the stairs? They do not seem like either satyr work or centaur work.” “Short ones! Fur on faces. Very strong.” “Dwarves?” He nods. “They come. They want rock that made place. Say very valuable. Lady talk to them. Lady talk to their holy one. She tell him they should leave. Their holy one tell them. They very mad, but they go.” They also tell us that the spiders came 500 years ago, crawling down the wall without stairs. If they get too numerous, they would drink all their blood. But they don’t want to try to kill them all because they are part of nature. Noah asks, “What happen if Big Lady not keep you safe?” “We die.” “Why would you die? Why would you not live like the others of your kind?” “Others? There others?” “Yes. And there is a great kingdom of your cousins.” He is clearly surprised. Noah worries that the big rock might be part of the Goddess of Pale Bone’s plans. He asks to be shown to big rock after they see the Hanalian refugees. The witchdoctor says that the Big Lady won’t mind if they see the rock—as long as they don’t try to take it. [End session 32] [/QUOTE]
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