[Alliance] Chapter Two: Session Nineteen

August 7th

0:00 The group follows after Ravensun, now revealed as Sylvanas, through the thickly fogged foliage while Rain remains behind by the wrecked boat, still winded. Sylvanas is silent for a time, clearly paying attention to the signs around the land.

Sylvanas: “I suggest all of you stick closely. There are a number of enchantments on this island. I know the safe way to the runestone, but if you wander off you may get lost.”

Gil asks how Sylvanas got there before them, and how she knew what they were doing. Largely, she had had a wild guess given their proximity to the runestones, which they had confirmed. She also informs them that there had been a lot of eyes on her given the rumors behind Gil and Vereesa’s involvement, hence the subterfuge.

Gil asks about the other signals on the island, and Sylvanas said that they were likely either the runekeeper and their assistant, or an effect of the enchantments itself.

Gil muses he was just concerned the Ranger-Captain made it there already. Sylvanas doesn’t respond.

Vel keeps an eye out as they walk, and sees nothing, though she continues to hear the voices in the distance of what she assumes are probably illusions. Whispering and the like.

An hour passes, and then a second hour as they head toward the center of the island. Sylvanas informs them they were nearly there.

There is an abrupt clearing, and they see a very tall, 20 foot stone with a different rune upon it.

Vincent picks up that there is someone else present. He taps Vel to silently inform her.

Sylvanas steps forward, and Vel starts to cast detect magic, but a voice interrupts her, telling her it was unnecessary.

Kael’thas steps out from behind the runestone. And Alleria steps out from behind them.

They all do as they say, and step into the clearing.

Kael’thas informs them that he has a number of questions that he expects them to answer truthfully. He then looks at Velameestra, asking if she was responsible for the attack. She says no. He asks if she was convinced that it was an imposter. She confirms. He then produces the First Stone of Silvermoon, the book he had given to her previously, and asks where she had gotten it.

Vel says that he had given it to her. Kael’thas continues to press, and Vel explains the meeting. Kael states that the meeting never happened. It had been someone else. Likely Drathir or one of his cohorts.

Kael’thas is perturbed, but upon Vel’s further investigation, it’s clear he’s not covered with illusion magic. It’s the real Kael’thas.

Kael’thas informs them that they will not be publicly announcing the clearing of their name for now, as the fact that the warlocks may still think them wanted will likely be a boon more than anything. He asks that once they gather the moonkeys they arrange for them to find their way to him, and he will be better equipped to keep them safe.

The party agrees. Kael says that Vel can keep the book for the time being.

They part ways. Arator says goodbye to his mother, and Alleria also leaves after Arator thanks her again.

0:43

Gil starts to lead them out, but they somehow arrive on the north coast. There is some banter, and they suddenly hear croaking. Gil asks Vel if she knows anything about giant toads or frogs. She does an information spiel, explaining that in magical places natural fauna can sometimes grow to large sizes.

In that moment, an eye opens behind Vel.

Gil: “Hey Vel.”

Vel: “One’s behind me, isn’t it?”

Gil: “...yeah.”

They start to back away slowly, and Tess steps on a twig. One of the frogs almost leaps at her, though eventually it and its mate leave.

With a bit more time, they are able to find the wreckage of the vessel. They see Rain there, humming and strumming on his lute.

Rain greets them loudly.

Gil tells him to be quiet, and that they are going south.

They are able to set up camp. Vel uses that opportunity to touch base with Liadrin, who informs her that the resurrection was a success, and his family was overjoyed. Vel is in a low-key good mood.

1:02

As they set up and get settled, Arator opens his birthday present from Alleria. It’s a small satchel, and he unfurls it. There are reinforced vambrace sort of gloves in it. The leather is dark brown, and it’s smooth and soft. The metal is a well-crafted and ornate, but light-weight metal that appears to be silver with blue and gold trimmings on it.

Vel examines the gloves as Arator tries them on, and she believes, from a glance, they are definitely magical. They likely provide some sort of protection, perhaps against fast-moving projectiles.

Vel explains to him. They are likely gloves of missile-snaring.

Arator looks at Gil.

Gil: “No.”

Arator: “But I didn’t say anything?”

Gil: “Were you going to ask my to shoot you?”

Arator: “I, uh, thought, but I didn’t--”

Vel: “No.”

Gil: “If I shot at you to see how those worked, your mom would shoot me.”

Arator relents that it’s probably a bad idea.

Later, while Arator is sleeping, Vel slips a note into Arator’s things.

August 8th (Arator’s Birthday!)

He thanks her quietly later the next day.

Rain muses about Hearthstone and other such things, and Gil comments Vel does. Vel sighs, but plays with Rain. She handily beats him twice.

While Vel is distracted, Gil takes Arator out alone to test out the gloves. The first arrow he nearly deflects. And the second arrow goes wide as Gil nervously shoots again. The third one, however, Arator snatches out of the air.

Vel hears their cheers and goes to investigate. Arator tries, and fails horribly, to lie to her about what happened, and Vel sees through the ruse immediately. Uther also expresses how neat that was, but then looks at Vel, and immediately adds that it was really irresponsible.

Vel doesn’t even give him half credit for that one, and comments she doesn’t utilize “bell curves”

Rain pipes up that she uses “Vel curves” however, and Vel is just done as everyone laughs.

1:25

In the evening, a boat piloted by a ranger arrives, and she expresses she was sent by the Ranger-Captain, though introductions aren’t necessary nor wise. However, she said she was told to bring something else as there was a birthday. It was likely from Alleria.

Over delicious food, they start discussing their next move. They arrange with Jaina to meet up in the mountains near Tranquillien.

Later that evening, Rain tries to talk up the ranger, but she is uninterested. However, he tries to get Gil to join in on the songs with his guitar, and Gil complies.

1:42

As Vincent and Vel is on watch, they see some lights flickering through the natural mist and fog of the evening. For a moment, they think it may be fireflies, but the glow seems to be too bright. Instead, they see a number of long, serpentine creatures that Vel recognizes as mana wyrms. They are a deep sea, emerald green color with lighter green finnage. However, there are a large number of them.

Vincent asks if that’s natural, and Vel explains in sights of high, potent magical energy it is, but given the nature of the island, they normally disperse.

Vel is curious, and she conjures Arkha’din to check it out. She sees through Arkha’din’s eyes as he snakes through the foliage. As soon as Arkha’din comes closer, four mana wyrms hiss at him, and they seem to be coagulating at one single thing.

Vel tries to disperse some of the mana wyrms with a chromatic orb, and some shoot off to see what it was. Arkha’din squirms closer, and Vel sees a gemstone of some sort, which seems to have a mist inside it like that around the island. Vel is able to sense conjuration magic off it.

She doesn’t approach, and calls Arkha’din back, crooning at him for his aid, and feeding him as he grumbles.

The rest of the night is uneventful.

August 9th

As they go to leave, Gil sees a crab brandishing one of his arrows. Gil takes the arrow and quickly replaces it with a stick. It scuttles off.

They leave, and they travel south and eventually escape outside the mist. Vel had noted a small glyph glowing on the deck of the ship, which allows for passage past the elementals.

The pull up on the far shore away from any villages. They bid farewell to the farstrider, and continue on their way. They note that it’s really chilly today. Like 60 degrees instead of the expected 80 or 90. They make it into the foothills, and about seven hours in, they observe a strange stone archway.

It isn’t elvish in origin. It seems like it may be trollish.

There is an inscription in Zandali across the archway. “The blood of the night runs wild in his eyes.” Gil points it out to Vel.

She and Gil put their heads together for a moment. Though not kept by every troll, Vel is familiar with the idea of the Loa. As she takes a closer look at the inscriptions, and notes that the iconography depicts a type of bat.

She is unconcerned about it, though expresses to keep an eye on the skies. Uther takes the opportunity to get into his armor with Arator’s help.

Rain parts ways with them there. There are some from subtle threats from Vel.

They then are faced with the arch, and Vel uses detect magic and senses transmutation magic. Gil suggests she sends Rai and asks what it may be. He cites an old rhyme of some sort, and mentions the loa Hir’eek.

In two sendings, Rai cites the entire thing.

Hir'eek guards de weak, He can find de things you seek. He be blind, and so kind. He brings clarity of mind. His screech dat you hear, Can dispel your every fear. Softest wings glide through de night. Taste and sound bring different sight. When ya lost and all alone, In de darkness where you roam, His voice will guide ya home.

When they step through the arch, a strange stone effigy appears. Vel and Gil converse for a moment, and Vel mentions there may be a ritual of some sort, though they don’t have time to really do whatever it really is.

However, Gil brings out a flower and uses druidcraft to attract a bee, that he puts into the stone effigy, and it clamps shut.

Basically he did it anyway.

The inscription on the arch lights up, and a small stone slap loosens. An inscription for the Zandali word for bat is upon it.

Gil asks if she can inspect the rock when they make camp, and Vel just looks at him and says: “You’re exhaustion, you know that?”

2:36

They make camp around 1am. Vel casts identify on it. It’s a charm of some sort. It’s the Charm of the Bat. As an action, someone can use it, and for 8 hours after it is used, they have the darkvision spell cast upon them. If they already have darkvision, it grants them blindsight out to 60 feet. However, the blindsight is echolocation, and if you are deafened, it doesn’t function.

Vel and Gil banter for a bit, and they settle in for their watches. They are uneventful.

August 10th

The next day is very warm. Vel and Gil use prestidigitation on Uther to make sure his armor doesn’t roast him.

Gil creeps forward, halting the group, and he hears some voices ahead. There is some chittering and laughing that sounds like gnolls.

However, as Gil approaches, they turn in his direction, spotting him. They then freeze, and then immediately start to run away.

Gil lets them go. The gnolls are bumping into each other as they go, and Gil is able to identify they are very young. One of them is scrambling, stammering something about telling the others. Gil calls after them in gnoll to be careful and they are just passing through.

Gil casts pass without trace on the group, and they just go in the opposite direction.

No one seems to track them.

As they continue on, however, Gil sees the gnoll that ran away from him earlier. However, it’s very much not alive.

They take a few moments to take stock of the situation. Vincent senses something moving from up above, and he points it out to the others.

Vel examines the body, and there appears to be a number of bite marks. It also seems there was some sort of venom injected. She informs the group. They opt to leave. Uther draws his sword.

They see slitted eyes in the bushes across the way. Tess fires off a bullet, but misses. The swarm of snakes bursts into action, and they realize the cobra turns out to be two large snakes, each with three heads. One attacks Tess, and the other attacks Vel.

Tess gets hit hard, and Vel is able to block one of the attacks against her with an arcane shield, but the other bites into her side. Vel is able to note that, though chipped and worn away, there is paint striping down their sides.

Another of the heads lashes at Arator, but misses.

Vel conjures an ice barrier around herself, and tries to flee, but the beasts round on her. The ice barrier explodes with cold energy as they connect, and she retreats behind the rest of the party, though poisoned.

Uther steps forward, and jumps at one of the three headed cobras, calling for Vel to get back. His blade erupts with holy energy, and he vaults off of one of the rocky outcroppings, bringing his blade down on them. It is knocked off the wall, crashing into the ground. He lands beside it, driving his sword into it again with another smite. The sword ignites with arcane fire then, and he twists the blade, the creature hissing and flailing, as it dies.

Gil follows up, embedding an arrow into the second beast, and then pinning it to the rocky outcropping. He also heals Tess.

Arator runs up, swinging in with his sword on the other one. His sword also flares to life, and he utters a silent prayer as he also heals Vel.

Vincent fires off an arrow, then hides.

Gil follows up, embedding another arrow into the last creature. It’s followed with another strike, the creature still pinned with his first arrow. Tess fires off a shot at the creature.

Uther uses Lay on Hands on Vel, removing the poison, and healing her. Vel thanks him.

Uther: “Think nothing of it. As I said, we’ll protect each other.”

He then wades back into the fight. The cobra flails, biting and hissing at Arator and Uther. Vel straightens up, the crystal around her neck glowing as she focuses magical energy through it, and she hurls an icy orb of energy at the pinned creature as it’s distracted. The magic blasts into its chest, creeping across its body, and it goes limp.

Vincent harvests some venom, and pokes around the gnoll. He finds some bone carvings and the like, as well as a handful of silver that it had pillaged.

Vel examines the war paint on the snakes, and she identifies it as Gurubashi war paint. The creatures themselves were some sort of invasive species from Zul’gurub.

Gil pokes around, looking for a nest of some sort, as they were a male and female. He is unable to find any eggs, fortunately. Gil buries the gnoll, and they press forward.