Adventure Log #12

Adventure Log #12 (Sylvia’s Rest)

Aki-Professional killer
Henry-Paladin
Kebridane-Mage
Magnus-Mage
Marcus-Paladin of Chaldisaya
Morgan-High Priestess
Paladin Henry-How long have I been gone?
Serrif-Fighter with an “evil” twin
Scalla-Mage

In the aftermath of the Sahaugin attack Scala and Serrif have politely been asked to move out of the manor in order to make room for wounded soldiers, it came to light that not all of the soldiers that that Paladin Marcus, Aki and Magnus saw strewn about the manor were slain, many will recover but the recovery will take time.

Novate Chaline asks to speak with Morgan; she tells Morgan that she wishes to withdraw her name from consideration as a priestess of Chaldisaya. She says that she has seen too much killing and death and wants to go home to her parents in Gol (remember she’s 13 and she’s seen her friend and herself killed). Despite Morgan’s urgings Chaline says that her mind is made up and when possible she would like to go home.

That night Morgan is visited by the Evil Jkennis Distaria in a dream. The Jkennis tells Morgan that she is about to get the Voice of Chaldisaya (Mary) and then the Chaldites will have to follow her orders, in light of her impending victory Distaria offers Morgan one chance to join her now as a worshiper. The Jkennis tells Morgan that all she has to do is worship her instead of Chaldisaya. Morgan refuses the offer and the dream ends.

The next day Voc Aaron comes calling on the party (who are now all staying at the temple). He says that Jkenna Jun (formerly Paladin Jun) needs to talk to her. The Jkenna tells Morgan that he would like to have the temple of Chaldisaya moved further from the coast, he mentions that part of the hill the manor sits on is vacant and would make a fine site for a bigger temple, he also lets slip that a bigger temple could probably be used to train new Companions (Companions are the first step in Paladin hood).

Later in the evening Aki’s scouts return (sharks send out to find Novate Mary). The sharks aren’t much in for small talk this time and besides telling Aki that there is a school of Tuna waiting to be eaten the only news they have is that Mary has been moved to a boat that is sailing to the north. Obviously this is a bad thing since the dark city Deserata is in the north. Scala uses her scrying ability and see’s that Mary is sealed in a small metal cage, there some kind of magic obscuring the view.

Morgan uses a sending to comfort Mary reminding her that the Lady is with her and to be brave. After much debate Scala teleports into the cage where Mary is. Once inside she discovers that the cage is warded so that she cannot leave. A voice greets her saying that they are happy to meet the famous Scala of the Three Souls. When Scala asks who is talking (there are curtains around the cage). The voice (a female) tells her that if Scala sticks her leg through one of the holes in the bars the curtains will be removed. Scalla complies with the request only to have a pair of strong arms grab her leg then a searing pain cuts through her foot.

The party is somewhat dismayed by the disappearance of Scalla and that she hadn’t returned. Some scrying confirms that she’s trapped and the party watches in horror as Mary pulls Scalla away from the side of the cage and Scalla is missing her foot. Mary uses what powers she had to staunch the bleeding of the unconscious Scalla. The party debates what to do. They obviously need a ship in order to try to catch up to the kidnappers. They go and talk to Jkenna Jun, who just happens to be in the village inspecting the damage done by the attack. They tell him of the disappearance of Scalla. The Jun seems disturbed by the news and deeply troubled. He says that he will see what he can do to get them help.

As evening dawns there comes a horrible storm that overtakes Sylvia’s Rest. The temple is whipped by wind and rain. In the middle of the storm there is a knock at the door. When the party opens it they see two Manthootian Warriors along with the Mia Pita (Little Mother) of the local Manthootian village. (Although very old the Mia Pita inhabits the body of a six year old girl, her eyes glow red in the night). The Mia Pita says that she has heard of the parties problems and is willing to help but for a price. She says that part of the price has already been paid but there is one small piece still missing. She instructs Aki to open her mouth, as the Mia Pita moves to reach inside Aki turns away and says she won’t go through with what ever the Mia Pita is going to do. (The Mia Pita and Aki are from different versions of the same religion and have had issues with each other before).

Despite a heated discussion by the rest of the party they have reached an impasse. The Mia Pita and her warriors leave, almost immediately the storm subsides.
Next morning the Jkenna Jun stops by and seems surprised that the party is still there. The party asks for a ship and despite the fact that the only landfall they could make is currently besieged by Deseratan troops he says that they should accompany him to the docks.

Currently there are three non-damaged ships in port. Jun goes and talks to one of the ship captains, although upset the captain of the ship orders his crew to stop on loading grain and make ready to sail. Once on the ship the party begins to stow their gear while the captain (grumbling all the way) takes his ship out of the port. Out on the breakwater the party sees the Mia Pita and a couple warriors sitting enjoying the sun.

Trying to broker a last minute deal Morgan gets one of the crew to row her and Aki out to the Little Mother. Additional posturing from both Aki and the Mia Pita goes on but in the end Aki lets the girl put her hand in her mouth. Aki feels a sharp pain and the Mia Pita removes her hand from Aki’s mouth, the Mia Pita is holding one of Aki’s teeth. The party gets their luggage from the ship and the Mia Pita begins casting a spell. The sky goes dark and a gale blows in from the sea. The party and the Mia Pita walk into the storm and begin their journey across the inland sea.

Scalla wakes up to see the horror that had been done to her; a red symbol of chaos pulsates on the stump where her foot use to be. The voice on the other side of the curtain tells her that the symbol guarantees that some random body part will grow from the stump if healing magic is used. Scalla calls on the voice to live up to the bargain and remove the curtain. The voice demurs and says that she is evil and doesn’t have to do anything based on laws and rules. The voice introduces her self as Tanda Avan (Tanda is a recurring enemy, she is an albino Manthootian who killed the mother of her house. She is so reviled in Manthootian culture that when ever her name is said the speaker should spit between their fingers as a curse upon the name). Tanda tells Scalla that she had been dining on soup made from her own foot and that Tanda has gone to the trouble of having a pair of dice made from Scala’s foot bones. With a laugh Tanda taunts Scalla and Mary that they will soon be in Deserata.

Mia Pita and the party arrive neither in the forest nor far from the major transportation route into Deserata (a canal stretching from the Inland Sea to Deserata). When The Mia Pita leaves the storm abates and the party gets down to trying to find out where they are. Discovering that they are a short distance from the Sylvian Canal (named after Jkennis Sylvia 1) the party places several traps and such in and around the canal. Just as they finish they hear the sounds of approaching horses.