03 - Dusk and Dawn
Date & Time (ET): 2024-01-25T20:15:00.000-05:00
Summary
As the Fellowship ruminates on the costs of driving off the Unakh-Drakken, Sylo notices movement in one of the tents left behind - which turns out to be Antoun Harras, a Haulers' Guild trader. Runato and Lei interrogate them, learning of an extremely valuable shipment of starbark they're transporting to Kesh... and delivering to a representative of the Order of the Regnant Unicorn. While Runato contemplates this, Emilia puts the eviscerated Dahlia out of her misery, accompanied by soothing music from Lei. Sylo negotiates first with Munra to take on the form of a dragodile, then with Rubah to cut him some slack in the babysitting department.
The Fellowship sets off back to Kesh, facing a moderately-eventful journey interrupted by an extremely haunted mansion. Runato and Lei investigate it while Emilia and Sylo talk to some cursed cats outside; they all puzzle out that the place is somehow unstuck in space and/or time, and Runato and Lei barely scrape out an exit. Going out the door, Runato spots a man in a unicorn mask from the corner of their eye, and struggles futilely to re-enter the now-locked manor. The group decides to make camp for the night, but when they awake, Runato is missing...
Notes
- Sylo discovers Antoun Harras, a trader with the Haulers' Guild, bound and hiding in a tent in the ransacked Unakh-Drakken camp.
- Runato interrogates them, eventually learning that Antoun was transporting - among many other things - an extremely valuable shipment of pressed starbark. Further questioning indicated that it was purchased by an intermediary representing the Order of the Regnant Unicorn.
- Lei plays a quiet tune and Emilia puts Dahlia, bleeding out on the ground, out of her misery. Emilia presses the group to wrap up their business so they can return to Kesh and hold a funeral for Lucia.
- Sylo reaches out to Munra, a spirit of the eastern Kesh sea, to allow him take on the form of a dragodile to (nominally) help haul Antoun's cargo back to the city. He uses the guise to convince Rubah that he's not actually a baby in need of protection.
- The Fellowship sets out into the wilds to return to Kesh.
- They encounter a flock of drobins, which try to lead the group astray into a ravine so they can feast on their bodies. Lei plays a counter-tune to overpower their song, breaking their hold over the party.
- They eventually reach the road proper, but find themselves on a poorly-maintained and weather-damaged section. Another Haulers' Guild caravan has broken down here, and Antoun begs their help. Emilia and her crew help right the wagon and fix the broken wheel.
- The Fellowship spots a gated manor which was almost certainly not there on their journey out from Kesh. There are signs of recent abandonment. Runato hears screaming from inside and rushes in, but can't find the source, seeing only a dinner party of long-dead people.
- The Fellowship argues about their obligation here, but ultimately decides to stay and investigate a little further.
- Outside, Sylo and Emilia encounter an abundance of talking cats, which try to convince the pair to take them away from the manor.
- Inside, Runato and Lei find the place spotless and well-kept, but mazelike and overwhelming. A window in one bedroom looks out over on a bluff overlooking the ocean - and Runato and Lei see the first sunset and moonrise of their lives.
- Lei wants to leave, but Runato pushes to investigate further. Eventually they find a decrepit master bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out onto a barren, faintly-lit landscape of warped black stone. Lightning cracks, and Runato has a premonition - they need to leave. The pair make a quick exit - but Runato looks one last time toward the dining hall, making eye contact with tall man in a masquerade mask with a single horn driving spikes into the hands of still-living diners.
- Reunited, the Fellowship notices discrepancies in their personal timelines - outside, only a few minutes have passed, compared to what feels like hours inside. Runato beats futilely against the doors and windows, demanding to be let back in.
- As Runato refuses to leave, and Runato and Lei are exhausted, the Fellowship make camp outside the manor for the night.
- Lei takes the time to sketch a map from Kesh to the manor. Sylo works to salvage the party's relationship with Antoun. Emilia talks with the cats about the manor, and with Alise about the state of the crew. Runato convinces one of the cats, Xyndite, to slip into the manor and let them in from the inside - but Xyndite demands that Runato lend him their sword for safety. Runato very reluctantly assents.
- The Fellowship has a handful of heartfelt conversations, and eventually an extremely tense one ending with Emilia and Sylo yelling at Runato for being self-centered.
The Fellowship beds down for the night, and wakes up to find Runato missing...
Notable People
- Dahlia the Crescent, the Viverrid Triumvirate mage that Emilia killed
- Antoun Harras, the Moraced Haulers' Guild trader who was bound in the Unakh-Drakken camp
- Alise, a Human troublemaker and crack shot on Emilia's crew
- Alicia, a Felid member of Emilia's crew
- Lucia, a dead Leporid on Emilia's crew
- Rubah, Sylo's new mom
- Xyndite, a normal cat