Purify Pilgrimage (Homebrew 5E Solo Game Summary)

[Daos]

Session 31 - Nice Day for a Blue Wedding
We picked up on the morning of Day 101, about a week later. The day of the wedding. The ceremony was held in the Poole's personal garden. Oceana wore a beautiful light blue dress, sleeveless, with vines and flowers on the left side of the bodice, ball gown style. She had been charged by her mother with two important tasks. First, don't embarrass the family. Second, meet with her five suitors.

But first, Oceana sought out Torrenta. The cleric was wearing a simple white dress, no frills or anything fancy, and consequently people kept mistaking her for a servant and asking her to fetch them drinks. And she did, not wanting to cause a fuss. Oceana asked her if she had seen Ashel, but was disappointed to learn she had not. She insisted that Torrenta speak to Moss at some point for some reason.

Oceana looked around the room and spotted Merwave, Qulack and Sylphe among the crowd. She asked Torrenta her insights on the three suitors. Torrenta thought Merwave was maybe overcompensating, showing off a lot of wealth to try and fit in; she thought Sylphe was dressed fashionably and probably had a love of the arts, but also a perfectionist; and Qulack seemed a bit insecure, especially when his competition were much younger men.

Taking all of that into account, Oceana first approached Cyles Merwave, the very wealthy merchant. Merwave was commonborn, but very wealthy which was probably why her mother chose him for the short list, despite his lack of noble blood. He acted and spoke more like an adventurer, the sort of person she'd meet in a tavern than a true blood noble. Perhaps in his late 20s, human, Merwave had sun-kissed skin, a Riker-esque beard, and a low cut shirt that showed off a bit of his hairy chest. He was loud, boisterous and dressed rather gaudy, like he was trying to prove his wealth. There was a bit of nervous energy to him, like he was afraid he didn't fit in and was trying to hide it.

Oceana spoke with him a bit, learning he is a merchant from humble origins who has built up a massive fleet of merchant ships that trade all up and down the coastline. He had heard of Oceana, claiming there are numerous tales and sea shanties about her, and asked if she really fought a water elemental and a sea dragon. As for why he wanted to get married, well, he recognized he'd need an heir to inherit his fortune some day and felt it was about time to settle down.

Then she spoke to Lord Rark Qulack, an aarakocra who was almost 40. Although older, he was more stable and mature, and owned a great deal of fertile lands. He was very eager to produce an heir, although Oceana just barely restrained herself from asking how that would work--biologically speaking.

Next she spoke to Lord Philomen Sylphe, a tall, golden skinned elf of indeterminable age. He was very much a noble in attitude and the way he carried himself. He tried to act aloof, like he wasn't even interested in Oceana. He was from Twin Rivers and his family, while not as rich as some nobles, were very prestigious and respectable.

She then sought out Xarrian Shail, with great reluctance. The only candidate she had actually met before today, Xarrian's attitude toward her was much changed now. They were polite and respectful and praised Oceana's deeds and the name she has made for herself so far. Their family are well known for being networkers--Xarrian has connections to almost everyone of importance. They are quite skilled at seeing opportunities before they full ripen.

Finally, she sought out Seraph Valtair. They are a human with dark skin, slicked back black hair, and lithe in build, suggesting a studious lifestyle. They also covered up all skin save their face, wearing long gloves and such. They were also quite tall and stoic. It was very hard for Oceana to get a read on them. They were tight-lipped and fairly taciturn. They serve on the council for Queen Meera and is something of a mystery to most people. Seraph seemed oddly interested in Oceana's time in Celestia, and if she witnessed any of the taboo magic they practice there. They also insisted they were there to represent themselves, and not the queen.

With that taken care of, Oceana didn't feel any more closer to a decision than before. Instead, she sought out her mournful brother, Moss. She did her best to comfort him in his misery, but also strongly suggested he seek out Torrenta.

Oceana thought she spotted a man with red skin, and thinking it might be Ashel, pursued him back into the manor and upstairs to the guest room, where a locked door stopped her. Knocking resulted in no answer. She managed to get a master key from Isles and returned, but walked in on Wyldfyre and some noble woman in flagrante. Embarrassed, she quickly backed out.

She also found Lement, who was trying to impress her, Jasper who was enjoying himself boisterously, and Selena who was wallflowering. She then sought out Frosta and her husband Cryne, then she went to check on Korral and Eve.

It was at this point it was finally time for the ceremony. After Moss and Korral were married, Oceana noticed Torrenta was absent and hunted her down, for some reason convinced Torrenta slept with Moss (?!?) in the few minutes since she last saw him before the ceremony. Torrenta assured her that wasn't the case, she was just tired and wanted to go to bed.

Before heading up to bed herself, Oceana found out that Delta had set up dates with her five suitors for her to get to know them better in a couple of weeks.

My Notes
This session was 2h, 40m.

This session was pure roleplay, and despite running a bit long, it only covered a single day--the wedding of Moss and Korral.

I'm not at all sure what Horizon was trying to accomplish with Moss and Torrenta. It felt like she was trying to get them to hook up, then when she thought they did hook up, she kind of panicked about it? So why was she pressing them so hard to hook up?

Who do you think Oceana should choose to marry?  She seemed to be leaning toward Slyphe, but that could change after the dates.

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.

[Daos]

XP is as follows:

Oceana Poole (Ancient Paladin 7)
Meeting Cyles Merwave - 100 XP
Meeting Rark Qulack - 100 XP
Meeting Philomen Sylphe - 100 XP
Re-meeting Xarrian Shail - 100 XP
Meeting Seraph Valtair - 100 XP
Trying to comfort Moss - 100 XP
Speaking with Selena - 100 XP
Speaking with Jasper - 100 XP
Confronting Torrenta - 100 XP
TOTAL:  900 XP

That brings her to a full total of 24,552 XP, meaning she needs 9,448 XP to level up.

Wyldfyre (Berserker Barbarian 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 16,753 XP, meaning he needs 6,247 XP to level up.

Selena (Dream Druid 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 16,593 XP, meaning she needs 6,407 XP to level up.

Torrenta (Nature Cleric 5)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 9,859 XP, meaning she is needs 4,141 XP to level up.

Lement (Horizon Walker Ranger 5)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 8,054 XP, meaning he needs 5,946 XP to level up.

Hardrock (Samurai Fighter 4)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 2,701 XP, meaning she needs 3,799 XP to level up.

Jasper (Diviner Wizard 3)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 980 XP, meaning he needs 1,720 XP to level up.

[Daos]

No session this week, on account of Horizon being out of town, obviously.

[Daos]

Session 32 - The Bachelorette
We picked up on Day 111. Oceana has breakfast with her family as usual, although obviously Moss no longer joins them. Afterward, Hardrock approached, wondering if Oceana could help her with something. She explained that most of her clothing was destroyed by the Rot's dust in the Titan Forest grove. She wanted to acquire new outfits, but having grown up a tomboy, she knew little of such things. Also, she was unfamiliar with the garden, as well as the local fashions the Elonnori used. Oceana agreed to take her to the Shimmerthread Boutique.

Once there, Tyda and Keplie were happy to see Oceana again and offered a hefty discount. Oceana picked out several outfits for Hardrock, then asked Tyda about wedding dresses. As it turned out, Tyda had heard the rumors that Oceana was to be wed soon and started work on a prototype dress she hoped Oceana would wear. Oceana was, indeed, quite impressed with what she saw and agreed. She also suggested she would send her mother and sisters there to get new dresses for the wedding, as well.

As the two were returning to the manor, a woman in a heavy cloak appeared and started yelling about sin and repentance, before casting a spell that caused the earth to quake and the ground to split open. Several people fell in, but Oceana and Hardrock were able to pull them back up as they were hanging on the edge. But they were told one man, an old dwarf, fell in all of the way. Using a rope, the two descended down into what seemed to be an ancient cavern that had been sealed up long ago, until now.

Using the light of her flame tongue, Oceana led the way into the cavern. They found some very ancient ruins, possibly Ancient One; including a large horseless carriage of some kind which they did not realize was once called a 'bus.' The bus had long since rotted to its basic frame, but as they went to investigate, three earth mephits flew out of the glassless windows and attacked. They were easily dispatched, so the two women climbed onto the bus to find an unconscious old mountain dwarf within. Oceana healed him and he introduced himself as Mire and thanked them. Mire had a very strong Siyouan accent.

Once back on the surface, Mire insisted that they come and meet his grandson Silt. He was a 'smith' which had something to do with working with metal, as far as Oceana could understand. Metalworks were more common in the south, but fairly unknown in Cascadian lands. Mire's family fled here as refugees during a Celestian attack, but have had trouble eking out a living, as Cascadians aren't interested in metalworks.

Upon meeting Silt, he thanked them for helping his grandfather and offered to make them a suit of dwarven plate mail in thanks, which was given to Hardrock as Oceana already had her own special armor. Silt hoped having one of the 'Heroes of Elonna' wearing his armor would boost his business.

The two headed back to the manor, and only then did Oceana remember the Vengeful Mother cultist who started the whole mess. She ran back to the garden square, but there was no sign of her--she had run off long ago.

We then skipped on to Day 118. During breakfast, Delta asked if Oceana had made a decision yet on a husband. She had not, so Delta had set up dates with each of them throughout this week. The first date was with Xarrian Shail that very evening. Oceana was less than pleased with the prospect.

Oceana picked out a light green, off the shoulder floral dress and got ready. Xarrian picked her up that evening and took her to the most expensive and fancy restaurant in the garden, one usually only frequented by nobles. It was notable for serving seafood, which is hard to come by in the landlocked Rain Mountain.

The two made polite conversation on the way there. Upon arriving, Oceana ordered the Dungeness Crab while Xarrian ordered the seared bass. However, the waiter accidentally brought her the Red Rock Crab instead. Upon learning this, Xarrian made a big scene, berating the waiter and demanding to see the manager. Oceana was pretty horrified.

After things had calmed down, Oceana slipped away to powder her nose, but actually spoke to the manager to apologize, and gave him a big tip for the waiter.

Xarrian later took her home, and Oceana practically leapt out of the carriage when it arrived, saying her goodnights and hurrying back into the manor. One thing was sure, she was not going to choose them for her husband.

The following day, Day 119, Oceana learned she would be accompanying Lord Rark Qulack on a shopping spree. She wore a simple yellow sundress. Rark took her to the garden square, buying her a number of new things, like clothes, jewelry and perfumes. Oceana started testing him, intentionally showing interest in the most ridiculously expensive items she could find (in the tens of thousands) to watch his reaction. It quickly became clear he probably doesn't have that much money, and was trying to show off and impress her.

While Xarrian was somewhat cold and distant, Rark was a little friendlier. Although he remained a gentleman, although he did offer to buy her a bit of a slinky nightgown. Oceana still found herself confused as to what the mechanics of reproduction would work with an aarakocra, though. Eventually, Rark took her home.

The following day was Day 120, and that evening she had a date with Philomen Sylphe. She wore a light pink, off-shoulder ball gown with little flowers embroidered on the sleeves and waist, for a night to a ball hosted by the Harmony family. Philomen, was if anything, dressed even nicer than Oceana, wearing golden robes of silk and satin.

While Xarrian was business-like and Rark was obviously trying to curry her favor, Philomen continued to run hot and cold. When they danced, he was passionate, almost intimate, but when they were talking, he was distant, aloof and even a bit cold at times. While a more experienced woman would understand what he was doing, Oceana had never dated before this week and was left confused but intrigued.

It was well after midnight by the time he brought her home. She moved in for a kiss on the cheek, but he turned his head and caught her on the lips, to her surprise. And just as she was starting to melt into it, he broke off, said goodnight and walked away, leaving her confused again.

My Notes
This session was 2h.

Thanks to Hardrock's new armor, Oceana no longer has the highest AC in the party. I thought it appropriate that the party tank actually have the best AC.

We completed three of the five dates here; the other two will be covered next time. Each date is meant to showcase the suitor in question, and give a better idea of their personality, how they feel toward Oceana and what kind of person they are. Currently, Horizon has confirmed that Xarrian is absolutely off the list, and Philomen is at the top. We'll see if the other two do any better.

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.

[HorizonsDream]

Maybe it is because I work in the service industry that I can't tolerate people that treat waiters and the like, like crap.

[Daos]

The funny thing was, they went home that night convinced they had impressed Oceana with their decisiveness and authority.

XP is as follows:

Oceana Poole (Ancient Paladin 7)
Asking Tyda about wedding dresses - 100 XP
Defeating Earth Mephits (x3) - 150 XP
Rescuing Mire - 100 XP
Meeting with Silt - 100 XP
Date with Xarrian - 100 XP
Date with Rark - 100 XP
Date with Philomen - 100 XP
TOTAL: 750 XP

That brings her to a full total of 25,302 XP, meaning she needs 8,698 XP to level up.

Wyldfyre (Berserker Barbarian 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 16,753 XP, meaning he needs 6,247 XP to level up.

Selena (Dream Druid 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 16,593 XP, meaning she needs 6,407 XP to level up.

Torrenta (Nature Cleric 5)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 9,859 XP, meaning she is needs 4,141 XP to level up.

Lement (Horizon Walker Ranger 5)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 8,054 XP, meaning he needs 5,946 XP to level up.

Hardrock (Samurai Fighter 4)
Defeating Earth Mephits (x3) - 150 XP
TOTAL: 150 XP

This gives her a total of 2,851 XP, meaning she needs 3,649 XP to level up.

Jasper (Diviner Wizard 3)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 980 XP, meaning he needs 1,720 XP to level up.

[Daos]

Session 33 - Taking a Breather
We picked up on Day 121, which was Oceana's date with Councilperson Seraph Valtair. She learned they would be taking her to the local opera house that evening, so she wore a fancy lavender spaghetti strap dress, layered, with various flowers embroidered onto it.

The trip there was quiet, with neither speaking. Upon arriving, they stepped out of the carriage and entered the opera house. Seraph had acquired them box seat tickets, as well as opera glasses to see from that height.

Oceana tried to follow the opera's story, but had some difficulty. So she leaned over and asked Seraph to fill her in.

The story was about a beautiful queen from long ago, who single-handedly built up her nation from nothing. But the Church grew jealous of her popularity and power, so conspired to unthrone her. Oceana immediately drew parallels to the situation with Queen Meera. They talked about a bit, but Oceana admitted she didn't know much about politics and tried to avoid them. They asked why, and she said it was because she was afraid of being manipulated by those more clever in matters of court intrigue.

They told her that in actuality, Oceana holds a great deal of power already. She just doesn't exercise it. Even the queen could be placed under her thrall, if she so wished it. She is the Hero of Elonna, after all. Even the church would not dare go against her. Likewise, Oceana has great leverage over her suitors--she should be asking them what they can give her, not what she can give to them.

Seraph then made her a rather enticing offer. Marry them, and they will give her what she truly wants--freedom. They will take over the household duties for her, dealing with the finances and politics, while Oceana would be free to continue adventuring, or whatever else she wanted. She was rather tempted.

They also discussed the other suitors. Seraph claimed that Rark was boastful to hide the fact that his large tracts of land was mostly farmland, that Cyles was pretending to be something he wasn't, that Philomen was a philanderer with numerous secret lovers, and Xarrian was a small person with small ideas.

After the opera ended, they took Oceana home and left her with a lot to think about.

The following day was Day 122, and that was her date with Cyles Merwave. He had commissioned a yacht to be built in a nearby large lake, special for the occasion, and was going to take her out onto the water. Realizing this was an opportunity to not need to dress up so much, Oceana just wore a simple yellow sundress.

The yacht, named the Freewind, was pristine and fairly small, only needing a couple of crew to pilot. Oceana met with Cyles at the lakeshore, and he welcomed her aboard. He was wearing an open button down shirt, a tricorn hat, and a number of coral rings and other jewelry. He also had a coral cutlass on his hip, but it looked more decorative than functional, as it was covered in pearls.

Oceana asked where they were going, and he told her it was a surprise. The yacht set sail, and he gave her a brief tour of the vessel. They spoke briefly, and remembering Seraph's words, Oceana asked Cyles what he could provide. His answer were shards, and lots of them. He could buy her whatever she wanted or needed, and ensure her family is provided for.

Changing the subject, Oceana asked what was for dinner. Cyles escorted her down to the galley, which was really more like a fancy restaurant. There was a table set up with candles and romantic mood-lighting, and they sat down to have a meal of lobster, which must have been shipped in at great expense, as they are not native to Rain Mountain.

During the meal, Oceana spoke of her adventures on the Tideway, while Cyles regaled her with his misadventures at seas. After the meal, they headed back up to the upper deck and Oceana discovered her surprise. There was a small island they were sailing toward. Upon arriving, she saw a sign labeling it 'Merwave Island.' It turned out that Cyles had purchased the island just for this date, and he was eager to show her. They docked and disembarked, and he took her to the center of the island, where a bonfire had been set up, as well as a blanket for them to sit on. By this point, night had fallen, and the stars above were easily seen. Cyles picked a nearby flower and gently placed it in Oceana's hair.

They talked again, and Cyles mentioned the Ravenites being a problem for his shipments. She asked him about them, and he told her that it seemed like the Ravenites were more interested in the actual fight over the loot that came afterward. She also asked him if he had ever been in love. He admitted he had once. One day he rescued a Triton woman who was under attack from some Sahuagin. He fished her out of the sea and nursed her back to health, and they developed something between them. But she had to return to the depths, and he couldn't go with her.

Oceana changed the subject again, this time asking if his business would be affected any if they got married. Cyles admitted that it would probably bolster his profits if his business was associated with the Hero of Elonna.

Standing, Oceana expressed a desire to head home. Cyles tried to urge her to stay, as the night was still young. He also moved in for a kiss, but she stepped back. Just then, fireworks erupted in the background, having apparently been timed for the kiss, thus ruining it. Feeling bad, Oceana gave him a peck on the cheek and he sullenly escorted her back to the yacht (where his crew were ready to play music, but he quickly cut them off before they could). The journey back home was a silent and largely awkward one.

A few days later, on Day 125, after eating breakfast with her family, Oceana was approached by one of her servants, telling her that Jasper had requested her presence in the courtyard. Heading that way, she found he was working on some kind of giant basket attached to a large piece of cloth. He called it a 'hot air balloon' and said it would be able to fly, with the use of Oceana's flame tongue. The heat of the blade would cause the balloon to rise, somehow--Oceana didn't really understand, so assumed it was some kind of magic.

The only problem was, it was pretty short range. They couldn't take off from here. They'd need to bring it to Si'ahl, put it on a ship, and then take off once they actually reach Maplewood. Oceana arranged for a wagon to help transport it when they leave.

But what about breathing once they get up there? Jasper found a workaround for that, too. He had developed an amulet that, when worn, would allow a person to breathe anywhere--under water, in poison gas, even in the vacuum of space. But he would need Oceana's help to finish it. He had also developed a new spell that would have a similar effect, but he needed a special ingredient, a kind of seaweed, from Si'ahl to finish it. Once done, he could scribe it onto several scrolls for the others to use.

As for the necklace, he needed a large, open space with no people around. Oceana remembered the ruins of the original Shimmerthread Boutique. It was shut down, and badly damaged, but mostly still intact.

Once they arrived and secured the place, Jasper drew a large pentagram on the ground and started preparing for his ritual. Oceana wondered what her part was, but he told her to just keep that flame tongue at the ready. He took out a yellow gemstone and shattered it, summoning an air elemental. The two fought it, and easily one. Once it was defeated, its essence was sucked up into the necklace, turning it into a Necklace of Adaptation. Oceana cannot wear it, as she is attuned to her Periapt of Health, but she can give it to one of her teammates.

With this done, the party could start making their final preparations for the next leg of their journey.

My Notes
This session was 2h, 30m.

I don't have too much to say on this one. The two remaining dates were fun, and revealed some interesting things about Oceana and her wants. Her whole life has been planned out for her from birth--by her mother, by Elonna, and by the church. So we haven't really seen much of what she actually wants out of life. I'm not sure she even knows, to be honest.

The scene with Jasper was mostly just to prepare for what is to come. I didn't want him to be required for the next mission, so I decided he could scribe some spell scrolls of his new spell so anyone can cast it. The necklace is a failsafe; if the spells end someone needs to be able to recast them and quickly.

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.

[Daos]

XP is as follows:

Oceana Poole (Ancient Paladin 7)
Date with Seraph - 100 XP
Considering Seraph's offer - 100 XP
Date with Cyles - 100 XP
Asking Cyles about his past love life - 100 XP
Defeating Air Elemental - 900 XP
TOTAL: 1,300 XP

That brings her to a full total of 26,602 XP, meaning she needs 7,398 XP to level up.

Wyldfyre (Berserker Barbarian 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 16,753 XP, meaning he needs 6,247 XP to level up.

Selena (Dream Druid 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 16,593 XP, meaning she needs 6,407 XP to level up.

Torrenta (Nature Cleric 5)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 9,859 XP, meaning she is needs 4,141 XP to level up.

Lement (Horizon Walker Ranger 5)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives him a total of 8,054 XP, meaning he needs 5,946 XP to level up.

Hardrock (Samurai Fighter 4)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 2,851 XP, meaning she needs 3,649 XP to level up.

Jasper (Diviner Wizard 3)
Defeating Air Elemental - 900 XP
TOTAL: 900 XP

This gives him a total of 1,880 XP, meaning he needs 820 XP to level up.

[Daos]

Session 34 - Second Chance
We picked up with deciding on Oceana's month of downtime. She spent two weeks researching, and two weeks carousing.

The first week of research was spent on Ravenite culture. Oceana learned that in their culture, women are domestic, taking care of the home and watching over the children, while the men are warriors and hunters. She learned that Ravenites consider fighting a matter of honor and treat it as something of a religious experience. To them, to die without a weapon in hand on the battlefield is to die a coward. She also learned they mostly speak Raven Call there, but also some Kanatan. Unfortunately, none of the party spoke either.

The second week of research was spent on Cloud Isle, the next holy site. It floats above, in the sky, and always has, as far as anyone knows. Why is chalked up to being sacred to Elonna. Druids would transport people there for pilgrimages, but since the Ravenites took over a century ago, the place has largely been abandoned. Oceana presumed any druids still living there are probably dead from the Rot's influence.

As for carousing, first Oceana used two of her current contacts. She had the Winters handmaid look into Moss' situation. He was mostly miserable, rarely straying from his room and making few public appearances. She also used her contact of the youngest Foamtide daughter to learn more about Philomen, and his philandering ways. Apparently, he's always seen with different women, but he appears distant from them, as well.

Oceana then spent a week carousing with the lower class, and made two new contacts--a barista and a garden guard. She tapped both right away. She asked the barista about Ashel. She learned he seems to be a vagabond of sorts, never staying anywhere long. He drifts from town to town, inn to inn, playing cards with whoever wanders in. The guard she asked about the Vengeful Cult members that have been hiding out in Harmony. Apparently someone must be aiding them, because the guards cannot find any leads on where they are hiding.

The final week she spent carousing with the nobility. She made one contact, who happened to be a young woman named Fay. She is the Second Hand of Meera, meaning her military advisor and a member of her council. Although young, she was very ambitious and zealous and was a big fan of Oceana, what with her being the 'chosen' of Elonna and all.

On Day 127, the party prepared to set off for Maplewood to the north. First, Delta asked if Oceana had removed any of the suitors from the short list. She agreed to get rid of Rark and Xarrian, but still could not decide between Philomen, Cyles and Seraph. Her reasoning for who she chose and who she discarded were based entirely on her own personal preferences, and Delta reminded her that the decision was for the sake of the family, not for her. She needs to choose someone who will be good for the family, not someone she personally likes.

Annoyed, Oceana snapped back, asking how she was supposed to run the family when she was never taught how. Delta retorted that she could always quit her quest, and Delta would teach her right now. This quieted Oceana, who became a bit sullen.

Ryver gave her a blue scarf he knitted for her, in case it gets cold up north. Surprisingly, it was a decent scarf--he seemed to be improving in his knitting skills. Oceana chose Wyldfyre, Lement, Jasper and Torrenta for her party. She also took her retainers, despite the fact that it was earlier established that Isles was spying on her for Delta.

Wyldfyre was eager to crack some Ravenite heads, so was in good spirit. Lement was attempting to compose a sonnet about Oceana, but it's very hard to find words that rhyme with 'Oceana.' Jasper was eager to see Cloud Isle and learn more about this Rot. Torrenta was oddly quiet and sullen, keeping to herself. When Oceana pressed her, she insisted she did not wish to talk about it.

That afternoon, they came across a river and used the opportunity to wash up a bit, as well as refill their skins. However, a young spinosaurus (known as a slaughterspine) approached them from downriver. Then a second one approached from upriver. The creatures are notoriously territorial, and both attacked. It was a vicious fight, and Lement was surprisingly effective. The party ultimately won, and decided to skedaddle before the younglings' mother showed up.

The party continued on until evening, when they reached the garden of Rainalia, the capitol of Rain Mountain. While it was nowhere near the size of Si'ahl or some of the other gardens Oceana has visited, it was much larger than Harmony, which is somewhat out in the sticks.

The party wasted no time searching for an inn. But as they were doing so, a contingent of royal guards approached and recognized Oceana. They said the queen had invited her and her party to a feast at the palace. Oceana asked if Seraph would be attending this feast, but the guards weren't sure.

The Rain Palace, where Meera lives, was an impressive structure built on a small lake, with bridges connecting it to the shore. It had multiple fountains, all moving in different directions thanks to magic. Consequently, the whole place seemed to be under a constant rain of some kind or another.

The party were escorted to the dining hall, where a long table was filled with every food and delicacy one could imagine. Meera sat at the table's head, and welcomed them to join her. After eating and a bit of small talk, Meera revealed her intentions. She had heard rumors that the church was considering putting out a bounty on her, encouraging neighbor nations to invade and overthrow her. Things were looking grim for the nation. She once again asked that Oceana become her hero, and stop a war that would result in many deaths, mostly the people of Rain Mountain.

Oceana pointed out that if Meera simply stepped down, it would avoid bloodshed altogether. Meera countered that the church would choose a successor that was loyal to them and their agenda, not someone who had Rain Mountain's people's interests at heart. Oceana said she had visited church-run nations on her journeys, and they didn't seem that bad.

Meera grew frustrated at this point. Oceana asked what Seraph's opinion was. Meera didn't see how that was relevant. Oceana pressed the issue, but again, Merra didn't see what one of her councilperson's opinion on the matter made any difference; unless Oceana was saying she would agree to help if Seraph said so? Oceana admitted that would not make a difference.

Instead, Oceana asked to speak with her retainers in private. Pulling Isles and Eve aside, she asked what they thought. Isles believed that Oceana should obey Delta and have nothing to do with Meera. Eve considered that if Meera is as desperate as she seems, Oceana could basically make any demands she wanted. But agreed that if Meera loses her throne anyway, none of that would matter.

Oceana then formally rejected Meera for a second time. Meera still allowed them to stay in the palace that night before continuing on their journey. She just hoped there would still be a Rain Mountain to return to once Oceana was done saving the world...

My Notes
This session was 2h.

Horizon had wanted at least one party member to learn Raven Call, but that takes ten weeks and we only had four.

Those spinosauruses were quite tough. They got some good hits on Oceana, who in previous battles has been pretty invulnerable. I can only imagine what a full grown one is like.

The next holy site is Cloud Isle, which is associated with the element of Air. I've always associated Air with Freedom, and this chapter is big on that. Will Oceana choose duty or plot her own course? I have several little scenes dedicated to that idea, with the meeting of Meera being one of them. Again, Oceana chose to do what her mother told her to do. But there's no telling what next time might bring.

Ironically, it was only after the session ended that Horizon realized all of the things she could have asked Meera for in exchange for her support. Like getting out of her wedding. Knighting Moss or freeing him from the Winters. Ranks. Titles. Wealth. Military might. Really, anything short of her throne was on the table.

Ah, well. I'm sure everything will be fine. What are the odds another Elonnori nation invades Rain Mountain to dethrone Meera? In the next few months? Probably like almost nothing, right?

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.

[Daos]

XP is as follows:

Oceana Poole (Ancient Paladin 7)
Conversing with the party - 100 XP
Defeating Young Slaughterspines (x2) - 720 XP
Audience with the queen - 100 XP
Rejecting the queen again - 100 XP
TOTAL: 1,020 XP

That brings her to a full total of 27,622 XP, meaning she needs 6,378 XP to level up.

Wyldfyre (Berserker Barbarian 6)
Defeating Young Slaughterspines (x2) - 720 XP
TOTAL: 720 XP

This gives him a total of 17,473 XP, meaning he needs 5,527 XP to level up.

Selena (Dream Druid 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 16,593 XP, meaning she needs 6,407 XP to level up.

Torrenta (Nature Cleric 5)
Defeating Young Slaughterspines (x2) - 720 XP
TOTAL: 720 XP

This gives her a total of 10,579 XP, meaning she is needs 3,421 XP to level up.

Lement (Horizon Walker Ranger 5)
Defeating Young Slaughterspines (x2) - 720 XP
TOTAL: 720 XP

This gives him a total of 8,774 XP, meaning he needs 5,226 XP to level up.

Hardrock (Samurai Fighter 4)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 2,851 XP, meaning she needs 3,649 XP to level up.

Jasper (Diviner Wizard 3)
Defeating Young Slaughterspines (x2) - 720 XP
TOTAL: 720 XP

This gives him a total of 2,600 XP, meaning he needs 100 XP to level up.

[Daos]

Session 35 - Staying the Course
We picked up on the following day, Day 128. The party leaves the palace early, skipping breakfast, and hitting the road right away. After a few hours of travel along the Fey Eye, they heard yelling and screaming up ahead. Oceana rode ahead of the others, and found a group of a dozen pilgrims being attacked by three redcaps. She immediately dismounted and attacked one, and the rest of the party arrived shortly after to help.

Although victorious in the end, three pilgrims died and Wyldfyre went down. Still, the surviving pilgrims were grateful. They were traveling south to Smoke Mountain and so knew well who Oceana was, as she was the one who saved it. They gifted her with a pair of bracers of archery. She gave the bracers to Lement.

The party pressed on, and that evening reached the garden of Reisel in Salt Whale. They found a place to rest, an inn called the Mountain's Apex. It was a cozy, rustic sort of place, built to resemble a sort of cabin. As soon as they entered the common room, however, Oceana spotted Ashel, playing cards. He was watching the door, and saw her enter, and immediately concluded his game to come speak with her. He claimed he had important info about her quest, and they needed to speak alone.

Oceana agreed to come up to his room to talk. However, as soon as they were up there, they started making out, then went to bed together. Several hours later, they finally started talking in the afterglow.

Ashel once again petitioned Oceana to give up her quest and run away with him. Oceana resisted, claiming she had a responsibility, as well as a destiny, to destroy the Rot. Ashel questioned whether destroying the Rot was actually the right thing to do. He suggested the world is not worth saving, and perhaps it needed to be reset every now and again. Like a forest fire was needed to burn away the undergrowth, so new growth could occur. Maybe the Rot was nature's way of cleansing the world so it could begin anew.

Oceana was still committed to her quest After all, Elonna chose her. Ashel was dismissive of this. He, too, was once considered chosen of Elonna. He explained his backstory. He was born to human parents in the garden of Basalt. They took his strange appearance to mean he was chosen. His entire life had been planned for him before he was even able to speak. But Ashel wanted to walk his own path, live his own life, so he walked away and never looked back. He also pointed out that to Elonna, she was nothing more than a useful pawn. Same with her mother, who only was interested in using her for the sake of the family. Yet, Oceana blindly did whatever each of them told her to do.

Curious about his life, Oceana asked if Ashel was from a noble family, too. He admitted as much. Oceana then said there was no problem--they could get married then, and be together. That was a no sell for Ashel. He was not about to return to that lifestyle again. Oceana was confused; didn't he want to be with her? Ashel said she was asking him to sacrifice his own happiness and freedom just to make things easier on herself.

Eventually, after a lot of thought and hemming and hawing, Oceana decided she would not quit her quest and run away with him. He sighed, gave her a kiss, and wished her luck on her journey. She quietly left, heading up to her own room to sleep and think.

My Notes
This session was 2h.

I don't have a lot to say on this one, although it was a lot of fun. Like with the slaughterspines, the red caps were surprisingly tough. I might be getting better at judging challenges in this game.

The rest of the session was more or less a philosophical debate between Ashel and Oceana. With the latter at something of a disadvantage, as philosophy is not her strong suit. For a bit, I actually wondered if Horizon was considering having Oceana take Ashel's deal. I'm not even sure what would have happened if she had. Non-standard game over, maybe? Fortunately, it didn't come to that.

But I mentioned before, freedom vs. duty was going to be a big theme for this chapter. Who knows where this will all lead? Horizon is a bit suspicious of Ashel now, though, and wants to find a way to investigate his backstory further. We'll see how that shakes out.

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.

[Daos]

XP is as follows:

Oceana Poole (Ancient Paladin 7)
Defeating Red Caps (x3) - 1,380 XP
Debate with Ashel - 300 XP
TOTAL: 1,680 XP

That brings her to a full total of 29,302 XP, meaning she needs 4,698 XP to level up.

Wyldfyre (Berserker Barbarian 6)
Defeating Red Caps (x3) - 1,380 XP
TOTAL: 1,380 XP

This gives him a total of 18,853 XP, meaning he needs 4,147 XP to level up.

Selena (Dream Druid 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 16,593 XP, meaning she needs 6,407 XP to level up.

Torrenta (Nature Cleric 5)
Defeating Red Caps (x3) - 1,380 XP
TOTAL: 1,380 XP

This gives her a total of 11,959 XP, meaning she is needs 1,861 XP to level up.

Lement (Horizon Walker Ranger 5)
Defeating Red Caps (x3) - 1,380 XP
TOTAL: 1,380 XP

This gives him a total of 10,124 XP, meaning he needs 3,846 XP to level up.

Hardrock (Samurai Fighter 4)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 2,851 XP, meaning she needs 3,649 XP to level up.

Jasper (Diviner Wizard 3)
Defeating Red Caps (x3) - 1,380 XP
TOTAL: 1,380 XP

This gives him a total of 3,980 XP, meaning he reaches level 4.  He gains 5 HP.  He learns Blade Ward.  He learns See Invisibility.  He gains +2 to INT.

[Daos]

Session 36 - Kidnapped!
We picked up the following day, Day 129. The party was back on the road, heading north along the Fey Eye, toward Si'ahl. Oceana, still troubled by Ashel's words, kept to herself. Nobody seemed to realize there was something wrong, or if they did, they chose not to comment on it. Consequently, Oceana did not notice the three shambling mounds approaching from the woods until they were practically on top of the party.

It was a difficult fight, as Oceana went dead last in initiative, so the creatures broke the front line and started attacking the casters. Both Wyldfyre and Lement wound up getting engulfed, as well. They managed to defeat one, but the other two were overwhelming before Torrenta used her Channel Divinity to charm them. Once under her control, she had them expel the engulfed, then she and Oceana healed up everyone, and they fled before the charm could wear off.

That evening, they reached the garden of Bar'ellyis and quickly found an inn for the night, still rather beat up. They stayed at the Destiny Inn, which was quite nice, and Oceana paid to get everyone (even her retainers) their own individual aristocratic rooms.

However, in the middle of the night, Oceana was attacked as she slept. Dropping her to 1 HP (critting on a sneak attack), the assassin was humanoid and dressed in all black, their face covered with a mask. Oceana tried to disarm them, but failed and was knocked unconscious.

When she came to, she was tied up and on the assassin's shoulder as they carried her out of the garden, into the wilderness in the night. She managed to snap the ropes on her wrists, then grabbed the person's mask and pulled it off before being dropped. Expecting a familiar face, she was surprised to find it was a drow man she had never seen before. She used Command to make him run away, then tried to run herself. But once the spell wore off, he turned back and shot her with his crossbow, knocking her out again.

This time, Oceana woke up tied to a chair. She was in a small cabin somewhere, and it was still dark out. She managed to break her arms free again, and use Nature's Wrath, but the drow avoided it then moved out of range. She removed her gag and demanded he explain who he was, who he worked for, how much he was being paid, etc. But the drow refused to answer. He only told her to not resist, and no harm would come to her. But he would kill her if he had to.

For now, Oceana decided to bide her time, let her wounds heal, and hope an opportunity for escape would offer itself at some point.

My Notes
This session was 2h.

Those shambling mounds proved quite difficult. Especially as they caught the party off-guard. It didn't help that they also resisted fire, which both Oceana's and Wyldfyre's weapons do. Fleeing was probably the best option. They still had around 60 and 90 HP left, and I'm not sure the party would have survived long enough to finish them off otherwise.

While I had planned for the assassin to actually succeed in taking her, I honestly didn't think it would actually happen. But a lot occurred that I did not anticipate. I didn't expect Oceana to give everyone their own rooms, assuming at least a couple of NPCs would be with her. I also didn't think all of her escape attempts would fail. It was almost funny. She'd roll 20 or higher on snapping those ropes (twice, even!), but everything else she rolled was abysmal.

We'll have to see how she manages to get out of this one.

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.

[Daos]

XP is as follows:

Oceana Poole (Ancient Paladin 7)
Defeating Shambling Mounds (x3) - 1,080 XP
TOTAL: 1,080 XP

That brings her to a full total of 30,382 XP, meaning she needs 3,618 XP to level up.

Wyldfyre (Berserker Barbarian 6)
Defeating Shambling Mounds (x3) - 1,080 XP
TOTAL: 1,080 XP

This gives him a total of 19,933 XP, meaning he needs 3,067 XP to level up.

Selena (Dream Druid 6)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 16,593 XP, meaning she needs 6,407 XP to level up.

Torrenta (Nature Cleric 5)
Defeating Shambling Mounds (x3) - 1,080 XP
TOTAL: 1,080 XP

This gives her a total of 13,039 XP, meaning she is needs 781 XP to level up.

Lement (Horizon Walker Ranger 5)
Defeating Shambling Mounds (x3) - 1,080 XP
TOTAL: 1,080 XP

This gives him a total of 11,204 XP, meaning he needs 2,766 XP to level up.

Hardrock (Samurai Fighter 4)
N/A
TOTAL: 0 XP

This gives her a total of 2,851 XP, meaning she needs 3,649 XP to level up.

Jasper (Diviner Wizard 4)
Defeating Shambling Mounds (x3) - 1,080 XP
TOTAL: 1,080 XP

This gives him a total of 5,060 XP, meaning he needs 1,440 XP to level up.

[Daos]

Session 37 - Isolated
We picked up the following morning, Day 130, as Oceana woke up still tied to the chair. She was stiff and sore, but otherwise refreshed and healed up. The drow was still leaning against the door, and it wasn't clear if he had slept at all that night.

He got up and started going through his gear, which he kept in some kind of magical bag of holding. Oceana caught a glimpse of her own equipment, like her flame tongue, being placed in the pack. This excited her, as she now realized if she could get that pack away from him, she could possibly fight him off.

He tied her hands again (this time using triple the rope) and started leading her back into the wilderness. They were going either north or south, she wasn't sure (having forgotten which direction the sun rises and sets). She tried asking him questions, but he wasn't terribly cooperative. He didn't seem to understand what she meant when she mentioned the Shadowfell or vampires, however.

After walking awhile, the assassin seemed to hear something. He pulled Oceana into the nearby brush and told her to be quiet. A young farmhand on a horse rode by. Oceana did what she was told and said nothing. After the farmer had passed, they resumed their journey.

After another couple of hours walking, Oceana spotted something in the canopy. She realized it was a pixie. She immediately called out, telling the pixie to find her friends (but not specifying who they were or where they were). The assassin, having not spotted the pixie, assumed she was just causing a stir and kept her moving forward.

A few hours later, as they paused to take a break (and the assassin stepped away a bit to urinate), Oceana heard a voice in her head--that of Jasper's. He had mentally contacted her through some kind of spell and asked if she was okay and where she was. She responded to the message and then tried to dig out a marker in the ground, but the assassin caught her and stomped it away.

They continued on, and eventually night fell and the assassin made camp. Oceana tried to make another mark in the ground, but again the assassin saw it and stomped it out. Oceana eventually fell asleep but woke up in the middle of the night to discover a squirrel poking her in the face. She tried to break out of her triple rope bonds, but failed.

She watched as the squirrel polymorphed into a pixie. Oceana asked her for help, but the pixie was skeptical. What if Oceana was a bad person and deserved to be tied up? Oceana told her about how she rescued some pixies from some darklings, and the pixie seemed to recognize who she was speaking about. She transformed Oceana into a squirrel, so she could easily slip out of her bonds. However, overwhelmed with squirrel instincts, she stopped and ate some nuts instead of escaping.

After the pixie changed her back, Oceana tried to sneak to the bag of holding and retrieve her gear, but she wound up waking the drow up, who immediately attacked. She cast Daylight to make it harder for her to see, but without her armor, she was an easy target. At one point she wrestled the bag from him and withdrew her shield, but it only bought her a bit of time before she went down yet again.

When she came to this time, she was tied securely to a tree. She tried to break free, but was too weak. She did, however, hear the sound of battle nearby.

Cut to...Wyldfyre, Lement, Torrenta and Jasper engaging with the assassin, after having tracked him down. The battle is difficult, especially with the assassin's poison, but eventually they prevail and take him down. They then rescue Oceana. They explain that they woke up that first morning and waited for Oceana in the common room, but when she never showed, they went up to her room to investigate and found she was missing. Between Jasper's divinations and Lement's ability to track, they were able to find her trail and go after her.

Oceana, once released, retrieved her stuff and took the drow's bag of holding. She also searched him, finding 1300 pink shards and a potion of frost giant strength. In addition, there was a note. It read: “Target: Oceana Poole. Payment: 15,000 pink shards alive, half that dead. Bring her to the agreed upon location in one week's time. Signed--The Broker.”

With that settled, the party started back toward the garden.

My Notes
This session was 2h.

Not a lot to say on this one. I came up with dozens of possible ways for Oceana to escape, and then came up with multiple backup plans should the original ones failed. And they all did. Having the party show up to rescue her with the final one, my last resort. Horizon seemed pretty content to let Oceana be taken to where they were going, not realizing that if she actually arrived there, it'd basically be game over for her. (There was zero chance of her escaping after that point.) As Horizon suspected, he was taking her to a portal to the Shadowfell.

Horizon controlled the party in the fight, so it wasn't like it was just me rolling against myself.  She actually controls them in all of the fights, as otherwise I'd have way too many NPCs to keep track of in a typical battle.

Anyway, I'll try and get XP up tomorrow.