Kay's Journal - 8/6 - Reaper Errant

 Kay’s Journal, 8/6

• 1033 XP

• Magic Sword

We are still in the church after the defeat of the demon(s). Gooseneck gives Fathom the bag of spell components the demon had. She takes a look; it appears to be standard stuff except for a smaller pouch full of diamond dust. Fathom gives that to CornCob, as it’s more of a cleric thing.

The temple priests heal everyone, but we still haven’t rested. The priests have questions – how did we get in? How did we know there was trouble? Gooseneck tells the story while some of the other clerics study the spell circle. Upon hearing the story, the head priest we are talking to appreciates our help. He also offers Pujol a Cure Disease spell after his mishap in the sewer. They also give Pujol some strong brandy to rinse out his mouth, and he downs it.

The head cleric asks us to sit and chat with him further – he may have work for us. So, we go sit and chat. His sitting room is furnished with pieces of good quality, but not fancy. The church here seems to use its wealth for long-lasting things. The fellow we are talking to runs this particular temple; they perform healing, and also handle accounting for the church in the city.

He asks about us. CornCob tells him we are looking for new challenges and work. The cleric says he’s heard we’re looking for work on a ship, and Gooseneck answers that we are waiting for a particular ship. CornCob asks how to address the cleric, and he gives us his name – Patrick. There’s a bit of a fuss outside, and another cleric comes in and says they have a lead on the circle. It has instructions saying the demon was supposed to go to a place called ‘The Rounds’ and cause chaos. We are told that The Rounds in an ancient magic circle in town. In general, it’s kept locked down, but they are opening it up tomorrow for an event – the oration that we heard about on our way into town. Normally the Rounds are closed off because it was built by the ancient elves and they’re not entirely sure what it does.

On the mention of the oration tomorrow, Pujol brings up the monks we met on the road, what we learned about the Redwood Foundation and the Fall, and that he doesn’t think it’s a coincidence. CornCob asks who asked that the Round be opened, and who approved it. The clerics of Apara themselves asked to be able to speak there. 

CornCob asks what they would like us to do, exactly. They want us to check out the Rounds and put a halt to whatever is going on. They offer to pay us. Fathom asks for a guide who’s familiar with the Rounds, and Patrick assigns Jarick to go with us. CornCob thinks we might need more help, and Patrick also assigns another cleric, Timothy, to go with us. CornCob asks what the main worry is. Since the church asked for the Round to be opened, they will be responsible for whatever harm befalls the crowd.

Patrick is very positive about the Redwood Foundation, and dislikes the Fall intensely. He is not happy to hear agents of the Fall might be at the talks tomorrow. 

They are building a stage and a food vending area on the grounds.

There are no unusual tensions between the church of Apara and the lawful evil organization that has power in the city. If Apara lost standing, Leial would gain, along with maybe some of the Chaotic churches. Anaru would stand to gain a lot – that is a lawful neutral church that’s very in to vengeance. CornCob asks what factions might be in to chaos in general, and Patrick says there are some but they generally aren’t invited to things. 

We go to investigate the site with Timothy and Jarick. CornCob asks where we can buy spyglasses, and they point us to the same jeweler that’s working on Pujol’s necklace. We go there and CornCob asks about spyglasses. He has one, but wants 1000gp for it. CornCob asks about renting it for 3 days instead. There’s some negotiation, and we end up renting it for 5 gp/day, and a writ of guarantee saying we’ll pay the full amount if it’s damaged. 

We head to the Rounds. It’s fenced off, so Jarick lets us in through the gate. There’s a standing circle of stones with a big tree in the center. Though the site is near the center of town, they haven’t built anything near it. Pujol thinks the area looks more druidic than elven. The fence is 12’ high and looks like it could be climbed. CornCob asks if it is patrolled, and Jarick says the city guard passes by as part of their patrols.

We go to look at the stage that’s being built. CornCob asks if there’s anything magic about it, and the clerics say no. Fathom casts a detect magic spell and looks around. She sees a spell has been cast on the back of the pedestal that’s on the stage. She also senses something in a big circle around the tree that’s in the center of the standing stones. We split up to investigate.

Fathom thinks the spell cast on the pedestal is some kind of illusion magic, but combined with transmutation as well. CornCob and Gooseneck check out the construction of the platform, but don’t see anything of note.

CornCob and Pujol go look for tracks around the perimeter. Abran goes to take a look at the tree and circle. Abran sees symbols inscribed into the tree around the bottom. He thinks it might be another transmutation spell, but is incomplete.

CornCob looks for high points archers could fire from. There are some far away buildings that would work, and a few closer trees.

Pujol finds bi-pedal hoof tracks by the fence. He follows them around the tree, up to the platform, out to the fence, and then to a small tree where they dissipate. The tracks don’t look like they’d belong to the incubus we killed; they seem more like a natural creature’s hooves. The tracks appear to both enter and leave at the small tree. Pujol notices that the tree appears to have been pruned over the years to be in a particular shape and size.

Fathom looks at the tree circle, and thinks it feels like a weird combination of arcane co-opted for religious purposes. We ask Timothy and Jarick about it, and they think it might be nature magic. We’re going to need a druid.

The clerics think the spell at the podium and the thing on the tree are related. They think the spells can be cleared. Gooseneck swings at the podium with his axe; a mouth opens on the back and speaks arcane words – completing the spell on the tree. Lovely.

The base of the tree lights up and the ground shakes. The tree rips itself up out of the ground, and a satyr appears at the feet of the tree. He looks angry, and the whole thing feels corrupt.

The fight starts. After CornCob has cast a spell at the satyr, Fathom has cast a fireball, and Abran and I shot at them, Pujol tries talking to the satyr to say we are friends. Unsurprisingly, the satyr isn’t buying it. He responds by moving very quickly or maybe teleporting over to Pujol and stabbing him. Then he flicks his sword and Gooseneck, which launches a swarm of swords at him. Gooseneck manages to dodge.

The tree attacks Abran. CornCob keeps casting spells at the tree. I try to distract the satyr from Pujol by hitting his with my sword. More spells are cast and blows traded, while Pujol casts invisibility on himself and sneaks away from the satyr. The tree waves a branch, and the two smaller nearby trees animate and move to attack – one going to Abran, and the other to Fathom and CornCob.

The fight continues, and the large tree falls. Gooseneck hits the satyr, who disappears into a cloud of withered rose petals. Cute, but nobody believes he’s actually gone. We keep on fighting the small trees while Fathom casts detect magic again to try to see where the satyr went. She spots him huddled down in the base of the fallen tree. Pujol tries talking to the small trees, but they don’t seem to have the ability to think freely – not like the latrine trees. We finally take out the small trees. Fathom points out where the invisible satyr is hiding and Abran shoots him, knocking him out. We take his stuff and take him back to the church.