Week 39
TL;DR - Attempted deals with Natalie and Endo, thrown javelins, and a final meeting with Fey creatures of great power
Morning arrives with the party preparing to leave. Shebrum seems happier, perhaps having taken some sweet drugs. Jaxzon asks for help and guidance, getting nothing more than a metaphorical shrug in return. Iliqua talks to the druid, asking for some scouting to find where the road stops and restarts.
He says he can do that without flying, phases into a tree and returns a short while later - he says there is a patch of around 200 feet where the road doesn’t exist. Iliqua heads to the top of the tower to try and find where this gap is, but the party is too far away. He can see maggots as far as the eye can see.
Iliqua asks the party to consider straight up killing the next insect affected person because so far they’ve all been keen on killing the party. Discussion of his foolproof plan with calls for some ranged attacks and lance work to try and keep the maggots at bay.
Jaxzon gets his lion from the Pokeball, Iliqua removes a quantity of the road stones from the lion, then returns the lion back in. Iliqua hands Zer0 a stone and gets him to throw it at the maggots - the result confirms previous experiment results. Zer0 is then given the task of throwing the occasional stone to help clear the maggots.
The druid says his goodbyes as the party head onto the road, then he fades into another tree.
Jaxzon takes point on the horse, with his lance at the ready, with his spiritual weapon out further. Zer0 surrounds himself with stones, Iliqua prepares spells to help. Shebrum sits on the back, swinging his legs about.
A few hundred feet along the road, through a corner, the party can see where the road has been diverted into the forest. Jaxzon peers through his spyglass, seeing the road and a sea of maggots, as well as the mantis and a hooded figure waiting.
A warning is given to the rest of the party about the mantis. Continuing further along the road, Iliqua tries to come up with a plan, Jaxzon plays with sunlight reflections. Zer0 hefts a few stones in preparation.
The party stops the carriage a few hundred feet away, and consider waiting for her to make a move. The horse and lion are swapped, and Iliqua’s tower is constructed, and he offers to go talk to Natalie. Zer0 will stop halfway between the tower and Iliqua in case she or the mantis attacks. Jaxzon prepares for combat with his lion.
Iliqua says “If I die, Zer0 needs to find Adeptus Prime, Jaxzon needs to kill his brother because he’s obviously evil.” He then heads off down, with Zer0 following and stopping around halfway.
“I assume that you have figured out who I am and what my plan is.” Natalie speaks to Iliqua by way of message. A conversation is had about her plan, her master and Lord of the Hive wants to talk to the party again.
“Half an hour, at the end of the road, we meet in person and discuss terms.” Iliqua says, then turns and walks back, collecting Zer0 on the way.
“Survival is the core name of the game, taking her up on her ‘offer’ is not going to work out well for us. I will try to negotiate safe passage passed her and onwards to the Phoenix Gate.” Iliqua lays out his plan, Zer0 and Jaxzon eventually agree.
Thirty minutes later Iliqua once again heads back toward Natalie with Jaxzon in tow on his lion, and Zer0 again stopping half way. They stop at the end of the path, Natalie uses the maggots as improvised speakers to converse.
Jaxzon explains that the party just wants to get to the Phoenix Gate, and asks what Natalie wants. She talks about her Lord and how rude the party is being by ignoring his invitation. Iliqua and Jaxzon say that the Hive is off the table, Natalie confers with someone through her mind.
“Endo says you may pass freely, as long as you join his court.” says Natalie. Both Jaxzon and Iliqua visibly recoil. Further attempts to negotiate seem to make no head way, with both sides wanting what the other doesn’t.
Iliqua offers to negotiate a cease of hostilities with the vagabond leaders, to enable everyone to talk to the party and sort out a deal. Iliqua heads close to forest edge and calls for the druid. He asks about his allies that are attacking the Hive, and asking how to get in touch with someone who can halt the attack on it. The druid leaves to ask for someone in charge.
While they’re waiting, Jaxzon finishes his survival book, then hands it over to Zer0. Iliqua also gets some reading done.
A couple of hours later, the sound of scuttling can be heard - two large centipedes rock up to the forest edge, and dump an elf onto the path. Iliqua talks to him, noting that his eyes are covered with white worms.
Jaxzon asks if he’s alright, then uses his lay on hands to get rid of the worms and gives him drink.
Iliqua asks if the elf can stop the attack on the Hive, the elf continues raving about all of the insects and how hopeless it seems. Eventually he says he will try to get the attack ceased, Iliqua tells Natalie of this. The centipedes reclaim the elf and drag him back into the forest.
A couple of hours later, Natalie speaks and says the plan has backfired. Iliqua throws a bunch of shade her way, and heads into his tower.
Night fall comes, and watches are organised. Jaxzon takes first watch, surprisingly seeing nothing more than maggots and the silhouette of the mantis. Shebrum takes second watch, nothing that some of the maggots are setting up cocoons. Iliqua takes third watch, doesn’t see much more than the others and does a little more reading. Zer0 takes last watch as early morning light arrives, the mantis remains but Natalie has left.
A large cracking sound is heard and a loud knock on the tower door. A large bear like creature is waiting, demanding news. Iliqua asks it to pass on a request to stop the attack, which is countered by a demand of who he is and what this will gain the elves.
“If you can get the bugs to stop moving for an hour…. we will take the chance and burn the Hive.” the creature says. “If your plan doesn’t help the Feywild, we have no interest in agreeing to it.”
Iliqua asks for help to get beyond the mantis and maggot blockade, gems and coin offered. The creature offers to talk to a high level druid with the promise of a deal with the denizens of the Feywild in return.
Iliqua finally gives in and offers to burn the Hive, seemingly tired of having things go against his wishes of getting to the Phoenix Gate. The party retreat into the tower to discuss what to do, with the eventual decision made to attack the Hive.
Iliqua talks to Natalie again, trying one last time to get through. “Fuck it, lets go burn the Hive.” and turns away beginning the plan to attack, asking the Bearington for passage through the Feywild. Arrangements need to be made for non-natives to be granted access, he steps into a tree.
While the party waits, Jaxzon ties a rope to a javelin with a (terrible) knot, then throws it at a cocooning maggot. The javelin predictably flies off, and while retrieving his rope, he notes that it has reduced in length.
He tries again, getting a much better knot and getting a solid hit. He leaves it there a short while, the pulls the javelin out with a popping sound, and retrieves it intact.
Zer0 tries this reading thing, with the book that was given to him. Jaxzon tries various things to improve his javelin plan, or to just walk in and grab a chrysalis with his bare hands. Several maggots attempt to bite him through his armour, a couple getting close but not close enough. He rips a chrysalis out of the ground and returns to the path. A bite does make it through this time, but he heals himself.
Iliqua is called outside to look at his prize, Jaxzon rips it open to find out what it contains - a maggot with wings and part of a stinger is seen. Iliqua notices that the usual poison sac has eggs in it instead, suggesting that they are going to be implanting people to use as food.
Zer0 continues reading, Jaxzon checks his gear inside the stasis bag. Everyone waits, and waits, and waits.
A tree like being walks out of a normal tree, beckons to the party, takes some blood from Jaxzon, wipes it on the tree, and casts a spell (Plane Shift). The party tumble into a orange and brown landscape, getting a warning about sleeping from the tree creature. He gets the party to follow, the party resisting the urges from the leaves to join them.
The tree creature explains the plan to use the party as front line combatants, and that they need to talk to the Autumn Lord. Eventually the party reach a large hill, with a large leaf built arch way. Iliqua asks about other bladesong wizards and moonblades. Jaxzon asks what would have happened if they succumbed to the call of the leaves (eaten!).
The party eventually reach a castle, also made of leaves, with a variety of Fey creatures around and are taken to meet the Autumn Lord. Iliqua asks and receives a spellbook with Fireball, Jaxzon a shield, and Zer0 the means to heal himself similar to Second Wind.
“Go to Tor Anlich, find the throne room, taketh from the hands of the dead king.”