This is a multi-session Dungeon World campaign set in the forested region known as The Green Maw in Andorith. Although using the Dungeon World rules, it utilizes class and character content created in the game Elf Genders.

Players:

Jon C = Indra - Dragongrown Wizard
Tom F = Gormflee - Heartgrown Barbarian
Ben F = Sveinonee - Chaosgrown Druid
Kam W = Bortris - Dreamgrown Paladin
Mark W = GM

Book One

Chapter 1: The Threadherd Camp

The group is travelling from the settlement of Zunreverd, near the edge of civilized wood, to an Outrider Ranger Station two days away. They found sign of a possible Abyssal Render near Zunreverd and want to report it as soon as possible.

Balefire trees destroyed
Scaled Stalker corpse found crushed and squeezed
Grim portent from Indra's teacher

The group is about half-way between Zunreverd and the Ranger Outpost where they hope to find a Threadherd camp known to operate in this area.

Session One (Feb 11, 2022)

Around twilight and group is approaching area they expect to find threadherd camp. As darkness grows the group must make a decision to continue for the camp or make camp of their own. Then they notice a flicker of firelight, such as from a campfire. Just as they decide to hurry towards it, they begin to hear a loud buzzing. Sveinonee readily identifies it as the thrum of a Firborer... but somethings a little off about it. The group sets out towards the camp while the thrum becomes louder. As the group comes in sight of the threadherd camp they witness great, writhing, tentacles crash up from the abyssal zone below. There's no doubt that it's an Abyssal Render attack! As the group watches in horror, the Render makes quick work of the camp. Sveinonee transforms into a bird and quickly flies to the camp reaching it just in time to see the tentacles retreat back into the abyss as quickly as they appeared. In it's place, it left only a large, gaping hole.

From fler vantage point, Gormflee was able to notice that the tentacles are highly elastic like an octopus rather than the commonly held belief that they're more solid like a snake. Flee also realized that, instead of suction cups, the Render destroys through hundreds of long, retractable, razor-sharp claws embedded along the length of the tentacles. These claws rip and shred anything that gets in it's way.

As the group stands there in stunned silence pondering their next move, an older halfling heartgrown herder rushes up asking if the group has seen any children. Two are missing and flee is desperate to find them but also has other pressing duties tending to the rest of the camp after the attack. Gormflee asks the group to find the children as quickly as possible... the Maw is a dangerous place for anyone after dark, let alone children. As they look around for a sign of where the children may have gone, the group eventually discovers a propeller tree seed pod, decorated and with the stringed launch stick still attached. The session ends with the group preparing to set off after the children.

Session Two (March 25, 2022)

Before heading out to find the children, Bortris recruited a member of the camp to erect a fence around the hole into the Abyss. Sveinonee turned nerself into a hummingbird and flew off to scout out the children. Gormflee searched the area with the propeller tree seed pod to get an idea of the direction the children went. Flee discovered that the children appeared to be joined by an adult and the three went into the forest.

As the light failed, the group heard the sound of the wings of a large beetle. Indra attempted to cast Light on a stone but it turned out to be fragments of a Crimson Threadwing and would not take the magic. Meanwhile Sveinonee flew off in the direction of the sound and was met by a Firborer Beetle flying in the direction of the camp... and back towards the group. Nee followed as quickly as nee could and overtook the beetle shortly before it came upon the group and nee turned back into halfling form.

As the beetle came upon the group, Gormflee assumed a stance of challenge but failed to secure the undivided attention of the beetle (probably for the best, as it turns out). The beetle flew past Gormflee but circled back around towards the group. Bortris stepped forward to engage the beetle but the Firborer latched onto trim, shredder their armor. After more combat with the beetle, both Bortris and Sveinonee lost their armor and sustained significant damage. Finally the beetle was defeated. Gormflee secured the carapace and provided a food ration for all in the process. Two Crimson Threadwing wings were found in the beetles stomach.

The group decided to do some healing and set camp for the remainder of the night, planning on picking up the search of the children in the morning. Indra brought out dram firebowl as they made camp while Sveinonee used ner herbs and poultices to perform some healing. They set watch as: Sveinonee, Bortris, then Gormflee with Indra being given an uninterrupted nights rest.

Session Three (June 4, 2022)

During trim watch, Bortris heard the cries of two children. Very shortly after tris heard a low hoot that descended in pitch into the subsonic causing anxieity and discomfort. Immediately after the cries of the children could be heard to rise to a panicked pitch. Bortris concluded that an Owlbear was hunting the children and quickly woke the company in an effort to reach the children before the Owlbear. Sveinonee didn't awaken so Gormflee threw ner over fler back and carried ner along roughly. Sveinonee eventually woke and, changing into a bird, flew high up out of the way. The group struggled to recall anything about Owlbears and how imminent the threat was. While Attempting to share some information with the rest of the group, Bortis crashed through a Bougain Tangler taking significant injury in the process but landing amidst the frightened children. The kids screamed in terror prompting a response from the Owlbear and forcing Bortris to use trim commanding presence to get the children under control. Gormflee wanted to stand and fight the Owlbear but Sveinonee convinced fler to protect the children to safety.

Back at the threadherd camp, the group reunited the children with Slaflee, who is greatly relieved. Flee asked the group to escort them to the ranger camp where flee had a grovemate who is a ranger there. As the group had business there anyway, they agreed to escort them.

Chapter 2: The Ranger Outpost

Scrap of a patch found in the Green Maw

With a group of traumatized refugees in tow, it took most of the day to reach the Ranger Outpost. As the group, in the vanguard, approached the outpost it became clear that something was wrong. They instructed the refugees to stay back while the outpost was investigated.

Going closer to the outpost it was obvious that some sort of struggle had occurred although all was quiet now. The front door was ajar, the hut was dark, and dark shapes lay on the stairs and landing ahead. A quick search in the fading light confirmed that a significant number of individuals (probably halflings) attacked the outpost but there was no sign any of the assailants remained.

The scene in the hut was grim: Blood and body parts lay strew about. Several Rangers were identified and one, or two, others but it was difficult to know the full count. Amidst the debris a scrap from a patch was discovered but no-one recognizes it or what it is.

The refugees wish to proceed on to Rothare but it's too late to travel then. They requested that the group stay with them and assist them to Rothare.

Session Four (July 8, 2022)

Normally, the trip to Rothare would take about two days on a lightly traveled (hence somewhat overgrown) trail. With the group of refugees to guide and protect, they figured to add an additional day to the journey.

Sveinonee was very apprehensive about staying so near the scene of such carnage and attempted to convince Bortris that they needed to proceed at once...this very moment, in fact. Bortris explained that venturing into the forest at night is far more dangerous than camping here for the night. As if to confirm trim words, a distant scream echoed in the quickly darkening night. It started as the high-pitched scream of a halfling being horribly tortured then trailed down in pitch, but not in volume, to that of a guttural howl. Although the precise creature wasn't identified, the call was determined to be the coordinating call of a creature that hunts in a pack. Although it was quite distant, the group decided it was best to stay put and set watches for the night. The terrifying call, which struck fear in the already traumatized children, never repeated.

So, with some trepidation, the group set off early the following morning with Gormflee and Indra scouting, Bortris trailblazing, and Sveinonee quartermastering. Bortris performed trim respective task to par and so neither hindered nor greatly assisted in their travel. Sveinonee failed to locate suitable provision en route so the group consumed an additional ration. Gormflee failed to see the signs of a night fissure.

The fissure stretched right across the trail to either side as far as could be seen from the trail. It was too wide to jump across, especially with the refugees, and the edges were too precarious to allow venturing too closely. While a cloud island was found in the canopy stretching across the fissure, it was determined to be too unstable to safely get the refugees across (or, rather, it was rendered so after a near disastrous attempt to stretch a safety vine across it.)

A closer look at the fissure from the canopy revealed that it was possible to go around it but at the cost of another day of travel. It was decided that this was the safest approach so the group worked their way around and proceeded on to Rothare.

Chapter 3: Rothare

Session Five (July 15, 2022)

Notes:

Factions (like a county, canton, or district):
- Bristlecone Alliance: Faction on the frontier
  - Town of Bristlecone: Faction seat
  - Village of Callinara:
  - Town of Malen:
  - Village of Rothare:
    - Medium sized village in the canopy
    - Faction HQ for Rangers
  - Settlement of Zunreverd:
    - Most remote permanently inhabited halfling settlement in The Maw
- Cloud Tower: Most "urban" faction
  - Crown City: Faction seat
Events:
- Reconnoiter:
  - Indra (et. al.?) ask around and show patch fragment
    - No one seems to recognize it...
    - ... except when they do and immediately clam up.
- Gormflee and the Balance Competition:
  - [I can't recall specifics except that Gormflee made a very large enemy in fler Heartgrown opponent!]
- Sell them wares -- make some money!:
  - Group wants to sell the Threadwing carapaces retrieved from the Firborer (Session 2)
  - Slaflee has a contact, Bryndra, in Rothare and arranges a meeting
  - Bryndra examines the carapaces and offers 200(?) bezant for each, which seems a bit high, but suggests one might be donated to Slaflee's operation to help rebuild stock (inflated offer may have been a face-saving way to do some charity without doing charity). Group accepts offer and walks away 200 bezant richer.
Persons of interest:
- Bryndra: Threadwing dealer. Friend of Slaflee.
- Gwedra: Elder/Leader of Rothare
- Iphiflee: Balance competition with Gormflee (now an enemy)
- Takatris: Leader of the Rangers. Based at HQ in Rothare

Session Six (August 5, 2022)

A raucous band of children swarm past the party. As the children round the corner, Indra realizes that dras purse of bezants has been stolen! The group rushes after the youthful thieves and into an alleyway. In the alleyway they find a ranger holding the purse, Iphiflee, the same sport competitor that fancies flerself rivals with Gormflee. This ranger alleged that the threadwing trader Bryndra reported a theft of coin, and this must be the stolen property which flee is duty-bound to confiscate. As the party disagreed, the ranger warned them not to escalate and two more ranger confederates emerged to cut off retreat from the other side of the alleyway.

Bortris led the party in trying to deescalate but the forgettable ranger, Iphiflee, drew fler sword to keep Gormflee's posturing out of reach. Things unfolded quickly from there, there will certainly be disagreements if any statement is given to the ranger station. Gormflee baited the ranger into drawing fler blood, which would justify a well-deserved beat down. Indra went invisible and grabbed for the purse, managing to only catch the sword's blade in dram side instead. Sveinonee flew out of the alleyway a Crown bird before crashing back down again onto one of the flanking rangers. Bortris scared off one of the ranger toadies. Indra cast Charm Person on the remaining two rangers, creating the opportunity to accept the purse's return for no further violence. The party skedaddled because the feelings of friendship would surely last for only a few minutes.

The party took rooms at the inn, The Stone Arch, and healed. Word was sent to Bryndra and a written statement denying any theft and confirming honest payment was received. Sveinonee scouted out the ranger station, learning that the three crooked rangers had beat the party back to the Ranger's Guildhall, a seat of authority in this community.

Session Seven (September 23, 2022)

After some discussion, the party decided to split, with Bortis and Indra going to the Ranger's Guildhall in order to clear the party's name and Gormflee and Sveinonee go to gather information. Bortris and Indra go to the Ranger's Guildhall, which is eerily empty considering how many people use the space. There they encounter a muscular dreamgrown named Takatris, the leader of the rangers in Rothare. They told Takatris of what they had seen in their travels on the way here. Takatris said tris had sent a group of eight rangers to hunt down the scaled stalker pack we heard in the night around the destroyed ranger station. Indra offered the group's services to hunt down the stalker pack, since it seems most are mysteriously dead. Bortris then told Takatris of our conflict with that forgettable loser, who Takatris reminded tris is named Iphiflee. Takatris apologizes for the manner of Iphiflee manner, and promises to confront fler about it. Tris also confides that Iphiflee and the other two rangers are the only rangers in the town after the other eight went off to hunt the stalkers. Indra offers the group's services, including the services of famed wrestler Gormflee. Takatris expresses gratitude for this offer, and they go back to The Stone Arch to confer.

Sveinonee and Gormflee find a game to play. The game is known as "Rattlejag". The two companions ply a group of game players for information while playing the game. Money is on the table and there's much to be won. Tension in town is high and these gamers seem to be discharging their worries through extra intense competition. They are worried because Takitris and the rangers have taken more authority in town that is typically shared with elders. Sveinonee plays well for a novice, but is eventually bested. Gormflee enters the competition, wagering large amounts of gold and playing headgames with opponents, but ultimately breaking even. Against the obvious vibe of the space, flee offers greater and greater challenges in an attempt to draw out people who would oppose fler. One Heartgrown, Amflee, was particularly suspicious and possibly supportive of abyssal renders.

After meeting up, the party decides to go talk to the elder before meeting with the ranger. Just in case they are obviously in charge of an evil cult.

Session Eight (October 13, 2022)

Peace Dreamer Society Logo

The team goes to visit Gwedra the village elder. After bickering amongst themselves about what proper respect for elders looks like, Bortris takes time to size up the situation. Indra detects a cloud of magic in the place, much of it old. After some dancing around it in conversation, the team reveals that they have seen dead rangers and the sign of the tentacle. Gwedra seems about to remember something about this image, before saying dra does not.

Indra offers a ritual that will help Gwedra remember, but if it goes wrong may degrade dras memory. After pledges from all the team, including a surprisingly casual one from Sveivonee, to pursue the safety of the village based whatever information is revealed, dra agrees to attempt the ritual.

Sveivonee meanwhile has had their eye on Atatris, an elder who was listening from behind a curtain. When Sveivonee reveals tris' presence, Gwedra dispatches trim to go ask the ranger captain Takatris to meet. Sveivonee goes to follow, but isn't subtle enough, and confronts trim. Atatris drops some sort of smoke bomb and avoids ner.

Indra casts the ritual successfully, and Gwedra reveals that dra is a member of the Peace Dreamers, and that the tentacle symbol was from an obscure and unnamed Peace Dreamer offshoot group. Gwedra explains that the Peace Dreamers are a semi-secret society that spans all genders and many groves that want to see a final end to the Pollen Wars and bring peace among halfling and between the halflings and the dreamers. They have been around less than a generation. Someone had heard of a group affiliated with the Peace Dreamers that was associated with this symbol, but no other details were known. Gwedra revealed the secret sign of the Peace Dreamers so that the group could find more members of the group to ask further questions.

Session Nine (November 11, 2022)

The group gears up with gifts from the Rangers, including new armor and a notable blade. Reacting to the revelations about the the peace dreamers beliefs about the Dreamers, the group shares their philosophies of magic and thoughts about the Dreamers. The bounty the town offers the group is rights to claim as many stalker hides they we like. These can be worth a lot! The group departs to hunt down the Greater Scaled Stalkers.

Chapter 4: Stalking the Stalker

Session Ten (November 18, 2022)

The group sets out on their hunt. Sveinonee spots a clawed creature in a tree, and avoids becoming lunch. The group decides to approach stealthily, and sees two Greater scaled stalkers far below which are walking away. Throwing caution to the wind, everyone brachiates into action led by Bortis charge. Gormflee captures their attention with a war cry and Indra ensnares both in a web. Bortis fells one with two mighty blows through the eye, which leaves the pelt pristine. Gormflee guts the other with a single swipe.

Sveinonee flies up to scope the situation, spotting an unaware halfling Ranger in a tree, circled by 2 stalkers. Nee approaches the halfling, who was doing something both weird and sus with the beetle. The halfling promptly gets murdered by third scaled stalker, and drops the beetle which begins to buzz loudly and ominously.

The situation that we leave

2 stalkers on the ground, unseen by all but Sveinonee.

1 stalker in the tree, very upset having taken magic missile damage

Sveinonee as a big clawed eagle near the tree.

1 big buzzing beetle on the tree branch

Far away Bortris stands next to 1 pristine pelted corpse

Far away Gormflee stands next to 1 pretty good pelted corpse

Far away Indra is in a tree above the corpses, with a few of the far tree.

Session Eleven (December 2, 2022)

Patch found on Ranger killed by Greater Scaled Stalker

Sveinonee operates the lever, turning off the automatons deafening buzzing. The whole forest grows silent, too silent. Then a subsonic rumbling below, and the crash of creatures running away from a Render.

Gormflee does save the day with an outrageous vine maneuver. We see a flying tree from nowhere smash the Render into the Abyss and silence reigns.

A big willow slides away, yanked into the abyss.

3 Stalker pelts remain to claim

Session Twelve (December 9, 2022)

The group gathers again after the battle, discovering that Svienonee is quite shaken. Indra interviews nee about what happened, which was more retraumatizing than helpful. Gormflee proposes a ritual to close the hunt to Bortris, and they agree some modifications must be made for the Druid to assent. Svienonee is still going in circles, but with a laying on of hands and calm words nee relaxes some. Each other party member offers a tale about how they accepted a body modification as an honor to mark and close a big life event. Svienonee decides nee wants information first before closure in the form of a tattoo.

Indra summons a spirit of a dead ranger to question, getting another than the intended. The dead reveals that their group killed by stalkers was set up by Takatris.

Chapter 5: Rothare Redux

Mechanical Buzzbeetle found in the Maw

Upon our return, new guards in elite red armor stand at the gates, they are wearing Octopus arm patches. The guards reveal that Lord Takatris has assumed control over the towns protection.

List of things to do in town...

Sell Hides
Talk to Slaflee and the refugees
Confront Takatris
secure accommodations
Talk to Gwedra
Throw an epic rager
Watch for, investigate the buzzbug
Watch for, find the cult

Session Thirteen (December 30, 2022)

The party decides to talk to the refugees first. On the way, Svienonee notices that the villagers are suspicious of us based on our proximity to the new rangers, refugees, and expelling of elders.

The refugees aren't mixing with the villagers. Rather than throw suspicion on our friends, we go to the inn. There is a hush at the bar as we enter. Gormflee erupts at the patrons perceived rudeness, not asking for tales of a glorious hunt. That is an Abyss custom and this statement hits everyone wrong. The proprietor looks pissed and says that the inn is full, we can camp at the visitors camp. Bortris saves the day with some listening and empathy, calling on our past successful stay.

The owner explains that the elders council has been dissolved and everyone in town is very suspicious of us, and all outsiders. Bortris Destroys this fool with Facts and Logic, and gets us permission to stay a ridiculous room rate. Further insulted, Gormflee lays an entire Stalker hide on the bar and asks for grand service befitting a triumphant hunter. During this grand gesture Svienonee tries to sneak away, but instead turns into a bird and smashes through a window in front of everyone.

Gormflee spills the beans about the group's entire adventure, except for things involving the ranger or the tentacle group. Gormflee befriends a halfling named Gitris, who says to avoid the rangers, as they may not be what they seem. Tris also lays out that we have been linked in some way to the rangers, so our best bet may be to check out the traveler's camp, as the inn proprietor suggested earlier in a more rude way.

Meanwhile, Sveinonee flies the long way to the refugees in order to avoid suspicion. Sveinonee asks about what's going on, and also can't resist bragging a little about the greater scaled stalkers. Turns out the other day a bunch of rangers came in from outside the city, Takatris rescinded the council and instituted martial law. Both we and the refugees are being excluded from the city and commerce, or at least avoided. These new rangers are from all over, and wear crimson threadwing armor. They seem to be coming from many factions, it's actually fairly unprecedented.

Session Fourteen (February 10, 2023)

Morning after at the inn with wiped out people draped everywhere. Food is cheese rinds, sausage heels, crusty bread. We partied all of their supplies right out! The group talks philosophy, asks for a grander breakfast, and makes plans. Outside, two red armored guards seem to be keeping an eye on the establishment.

We ask the proprietor to keep our other 2 hides safe while we do business around town. They've warmed up to us, and say that "we're honest and true." We ask the proprietor what the rumors about us around town are. They say we've been associated with the rebellious guards. The wise proprietor thinks that this rumor was seeded to discredit us by an organized force. We were overheard by a mysterious halfling (with a sallow face, beady eyes, and bad vibes) who slips away in a rush. Sveinonee gives chase in halfling form, but lets them go when they would have to barrel past the guards outside.

The group approaches the ranger office. Along the way Indra notices they have concentrated their forces along our route, almost like a parade. There are very few rangers close to their station.

Inside we overhear Takatris talking quietly with someone, who has slipped away by the time we arrrive. Sveinonee is pissed we were followed and confronts. Gormflee ablates. Indra makes a bid to get read in about this threat the the Bristlecone Alliance. Takatris administers some kind of obscure test about the Peace Dreamers which we fail.

Bortris realizes retroactively that some of the guards on the street aren't from the Alliance. They have non-BA ear ornamentation and some have even taken off their piercings. Bortris confronts about this, and tris again offers the obscure test. Gormflee makes the absolute big ears move to declare themselves the head of the conspiracy. Everyone helps out with the ruse but it fails when Takatris remembers that no one is higher than trim in the conspiracy tris runs.

"No you overplayed your hand when you underestimated Gormflee the Terrifying" *sounds of violence*

Book Two

Prologue: Decisions, decisions...

Session Fifteen (January 5, 2024)

Takatris reveals his position, which may or may not be a lie. He's part of the Peace Dreamers Society and it playing a desperate gambit to draw out their sworn enemies once and for all. A radical offshoot of the PDS, Aggressive Reconciliation seeks immediate resolution to perceived conflict between Dreamers and Halflings. AG was behind the attack at the ranger outpost, other attacks in the past, and may be behind the buzzbeetle.

Tatatris' gambit is the assume to mantle of the AG conspiracy, dissolve government to protect legitimate leaders, and gather rangers around him. This is pretty dumb way of drawing out secret baddies, but it's the world we live in now. Gormflee reads the animal signs and furtive movements of his body: He's withholding something significant. Is this a lie or protecting the further secrets of his order? Takatris assures us that we have free range of Rothare and the surrounding areas, and tris will return democratic governance as soon as they're able.

The party resolved to head to Cloud City: seeking Gwedra and the truth about PDS/AG. Takatris' sent a Ranger mechanic knew how to fix it, but left it broken on purpose. Only Sveivonee knows how to fix the buzzbug from watching it being fixed.

Rumors about Cloud City

Svenionee heard the druids are boring bookies.
Bortris heard
Indra heard there is an Arcane Library of unmatched quality. To gain membership you must add new mystical lore to the collection.
Gormflee heard there's been larger than usual populations of warrior beetles in the areas around Cloud City.
Everybody knows that Cloud City is on one super huge tree, huge even by Maw standards. This tree protrudes all the way into the emergent layer.

Chapter 1: ... On the Way to Cloud City

Session Sixteen (1/19/24)

Inside the wall is the refugee camp for the threadwing farmers, they will stay in Rothare. Outside the wall is a fresh refugee camp of the ousted leadership of Rothare, Gwedra and council members (about 2 dozen) already left for Cloud City the day before. It's a 5 day trip via the Twilight, and 10 day via the Canopy.

After 2 days we catch up with Gwedra's group. Sveinonee spots them from a distance and they are about to be menaced by halfling-sized sized trap-door spiders! Sveinonee dive bombs into the group of travelers to alert them to the unseen danger. Nee returns to the group, who hurry to catch up. Bortris leads the charge, slamming though the brush and clearing a path.

We arrive to see the spiders webbing up halflings and pulling them away into tubes. Upon seeing them in person, we see they are actually hive-mind swarms of palm-sized 8-legged beetles from the Abyss. Gormflee recalls a bedtime nursery rhyme to protect against such creatures: They are repelled by fire and citrus. Indra consults her tomes: They aren't biting, prey must be immobilized and taken elsewhere to be consumed.

Bortris approaches a transport tube, smashing and cutting it. The tube is itself also composed of beetles and resists collapse. Sveinonee snatches up a construct, lifting it into the air but gets enshrouded immediately and falls. The construct breaks apart beneath them as they land. Gormflee taunts two of the constructions to focus on fler, shouting about the necessity of fire. Indra is the only halfling who isn't experiencing ants in pants, and so slings down dra's fire bowl and successfully starts a small fire using some beetle-hair for extra speed. Bortris tries to start a fire of tris' own, fast-lighting it in tris teeth with beetle-hair like a badass. Burning beetle needles right next to tris' face is a lot to handle! They drop the lit torch onto the webbing and tunnel, engulfing about a third of the area in a conflagration. Luckily this kills a ton of spiders and unluckily this catches a few halflings on fire. It's Indra's turn to make poor choices with fire. Dra immolates one of the larger constructs and bathes herself and the other half of the captured halflings in the backwash. Sveinonee takes stock, discerning the locations of the missing halflings and confirming that this is normal hunting behavior for this creature who is motivated by a normal situation. Gormflee ties off a rope for retrieval and dives in to the hole Gwedra disappeared into. Bortris retrieves tris torch and scares off the remaining constructs by menacing them with it. Gormflee ventures further still into the tube.

The remaining beetles are hanging around the periphery, waiting for easy prey. Indra hands out torches and tell the survivors to look out for one another. They're too dazed to listen carefully, Bortris creates compliance by commanding them in the name of Standing Stone. Sveinonee turns into a blind abyss gecko and slips into the other hole than Gormflee and Indra. Bortris sees to some minor order topside, affixes a rope for safety and enters the other hole.

Gwedra Hole: Gormflee, Indra

Fire Hole: Sveinonee, Bortris

Session Seventeen (2/23/2024)

Traveling seperately, the two groups proceed: Bortris and Sveinonee, Gormflee and Indra. Gormflee leads the way with strength and confidence, Indra less so. While trying something clever, Indra spills out into a 30 meter drop over mushrooms, dra's blood-curdling scream ringing out. Gormflee rushes to the end of the tube, discovering enshrouded figures being dragged towards hungry beetle queens. Flee watches a queen feed: Her workers bring up a well-aged websac, which she drinks up like a gusher. So, our halflings aren't in immediate danger, they are being stored somewhere inconvenient for us.

Gormflee starts a foolishly large fire here in the highly-flamable hive environment. Bugs are torched and driven off. Captured halfings fall into offal pile and will be okay. Bortris and Sveinonee spill out of destroyed tube, falling. The group decides to stick around for at least an hour to try to excavate the collection of magical items Indra has spotted.

Session Eighteen (3/8/2024)

Sveinonee is nervous about Gwedra and the 18 other refugees request to encamp here. Gormflee again reminds Sveinonee about the Rules of the Abyss:

1. It is unpredictable. Cultivate many plans.

Bortris pledges to follow the experienced rangers' guidance. Gormflee takes charge directing the 10 or so fully well refugees to build a bone palisade or help Indra's manic acquisitive digging. Bortis talks to Gwedra, bringing dra onto tris's side. The temporary defenses are ready and the troops are feeling heartened and capable. Sveinonee scouts unsuccessfully.

Indra discovers this horde is too large and heavy to possibly excavate and move quickly. Indra wants to leave in secret and return with an excavation crew, Gormflee wants to return and boast to everyone. After some talking, Bortris leads the group to take what they can now and claim glory since it would be impossible to maintain secrecy.

When confronted with the group's current lack of food supplies, Gormflee reveals another Rule of the Abyss:

1. Don't Die

Bortris calls on Gwedra to step up for dra's community. Indra attempts to win over the group with filthy lucre. It works and we get 3 days.

Day One Bortris finds a pool of fresh water to meet our needs while being taught Abyss survival skills by Gormflee. Sveinonee scouts finding an abandoned underpath with beetle-webbed blazes and cairns. Indra digs down to the small stuff layer finding coins, gems, and a magic ring. There was a mysterious fainting spell, vertigo, headaches amongst the refugees.

Day Two Things go well. Sveinonee is off their game and unable to find their way, folks are starting to think there's no way out. Bortis digs at the top, quite successfully. Gormflee kept watch for how animals are arriving, seeing suspicious signs of...

Session Nineteen (4/12/2024)

Sveinonee and Gormflee discuss the wisdom of staying longer. Gormflee makes the case that scavengers won't attack anything that looks tough. Looking strong is good defense. Bortris successfully excavates a miner's canvas bag full of coins, raw metal, and precious stones. It also has stones of farspeech. Indra analyzes the ring from day one: It's a ring of illusory cleanliness, which makes you look clean, groomed, and with tailored clothes even if you're travelworn underneath. The sickness from the miasma seems to be spreading and affecting the weakest member of the party more strongly.

Day Three Indra heard suspicious and familiar sounds while keeping watch, but dismissed it as interference with stones of farspeech, Bortris' humming, and own distraction with the dig. Gormflee finds of medicinal herbs that don't seem to match what flee expects, luckily Gwedra identifies them as poison look-alikes so the effort was wasted. Bortris has two weapons revealed, but a collapse in a lower-level causes them to slide out of her grip. Thinking quickly she manages to save an Adz made of an unknown organic material. Sveinonee takes the day in meditative repose amongst the branches, returning refreshed.

When Sveinonee returns nee catches Indra distracted on watch. Nee scolds dra, claiming the strange adz as a bounty. Dra gives nee the stones of farspeech too. Gormflee admonishes dra to remember the first rule of the maw: Always Pay Attention. Sveinonee inspects the sick people and determines it's not a contagion. The group agrees they will leave along the abandoned underpath first thing in the morning.

Indra declares dra will stay up all night on one last dig, sleepless Bortris volunteers to help. Bortris has the bright idea to check sickly Gwedra for bug bites. Perhaps it's just as simple as a critter from the pile? Tris notices dra gives off a loamy sweet smell and has a more racing pulse, and no bug bites. Indra consults dra's tomes and thinks the symptoms are pharmacological. Gormflee boldy declares to Gwedra that these are withdrawal symptoms, and catches a slap across the face for fleur trouble. In the final dig, there's a collapse. Bortris gets out safely, and Indra rejects an offered hand in order to clutch a shiny sword and thus falls into the collapsing pit.

Bortris wakes Sveinonee, who feels like dogshit as the fever had caught up with nee. They have to be convinced and keep asking for "5 more minutes". Nee tries the old dirt-on-face trick to beat the flu, Bortris offers the healing power of standing stone even though it gives Sveinonee the ick. Unfortunately Standing Stone's power applies only to illness not drugs. Living a drug free lifestyle is a choice you make. Just Say No. Sveinonee continues to be a big baby about everything, accepting a piggyback ride to the pit.

Indra finds themselves at the mouth of a cave carved into tree roots. Their light spell when cast is extremely bright. They call out, hearing nothing. They set the unseen servant to bang a dagger against a rock, to aid searchers.

Gormflee is too impatient to wait and starts smashing their way down through the bones. Naturally, flee collapses the pit and winds up in the same place as Indra. Stone contact is made between the groups. Indra summons a beast to aid in the digging: It's a quite large scaled stalker (not reckless, useful adaptation), which lays calmly at Indra's feet. However the rest of it's pack seems to be hot on it's heels from deep within the cave, and not as friendly! (Indra is at -1 forward while spell is active.)

Session Twenty: The Gang Goes Full Animal (4/26/2024)

Natural cave/tunnel with walls and ceilings covered in death lanterns (slimy stinky faintly-glowing mold-slugs). Three other scaled stalkers approach, threateningly.

Responding to calls for aid, Sveinonee calls upon the power of the Earth Elementals to solidify the precarious bone pile. The Elemental don't hear so good, and it freezes the top layer of the bones. If there is a collapse it'll be a crash rather than a flush. Bortris bravely ties off a rope and climbs down the pit, disturbing a pocket of gems. The gems batter Bortris, filling tris pockets with 25 coins worth!

A fourth, super-large stalker approaches from out of the cave breaking the snarling stalemate and guaranteeing a fight. Gormflee recalls a song about an ancient giant creature growing endlessly to gobble the world, who must be a hundred years old due to it's size. Stalkers grow constantly and live short violent lives challenging one another for pack leadership. "You too can live long enough to become the foundation of the next world" As usual, Gormflee uses this as motivation to challenge the creature ostentatiously. "You've eaten, and you've eaten. Your quest ends here, my quest is greater!" Unbeknownst to Gormflee, flee's mantis blade gets stuck in some vines as the fight begins. Indra's stalker gets grappled, and dra buys it some respite with a flurry of magic missles. Bortris races into battle and wounds a small stalker. Sveinonee transforms into a Stalker and enters the pit, encountering those same dangerous gems which fill their pockets. Rather than free the blade and risk being shown up by anyone, Gormflee abandons it to attack using the famed vine shield. The blow rings true. Gormflee uppercuts the beast, knocking a great fang loose and taking a huge bite in the process. Bortris goes "Oh Dreamer, maybe flee does have it?!" Sveinonee and Gormflee both get grappled by the little guys. Indra boasts about cleaning up after the Heartgrown and Chaosgrown, and does a little damage to the grappler on Gormflee who's getting pretty cut up and going full feral fleeself: biting and kicking. The two are locked together in death. Sveinonee does a brutal rake on their stalker. Indra + good stalker fell one softened up by Bortris. Bortris rushes in to stabilize Gormflee. Sveinonee kills the stalker on top of it.

Gormflee is overcome by darkness, then they can sense swimming shapes of creatures floating around them. With a jolt, they awaken under Bortris' ministrations, the souls they witnessed fade from around them.

Sveinonee has harsh words for Indra. Indra's stalker, could it be an animal companion in the making?

Total Pelts:

Pristine and HUGE (magic missle and one punch'd)
shredded pelt
Good, (halberd and magic missled pelt)
third one, whatever

Open Questions:

Rope out?
Find the sword?
Take the pelts?
Explore the cave?

Session Twenty One (5/17/2024)

Sveinonee understandably scolds Indra for dra's recklessness. Sveinonee scouts the cave, Gormflee begins skinning the big one while spouting lore about roots and caves. The cave has been expanded by halfling hands, but attempts were made to conceal this work.

Using the stalker as a messenger, the party establishes contact with their charges, who are quite a bit sicker. Sveinonee is starting to feel better though. Bortis hears the whisper of Standing Stone in tris head, and confidently, silently begins their pilgrimage. Into the cave. The others briefly argue about what to do once it apparent that Bortris will turn away even from sick elders to follow tris' god.

Sveinonee and Bortris follow the cavern downwards. After many twists and turns they come to an area of darkness where no death lanterns are growing, it is an owlbear nest. In the nest is a book, as if brand new. Within the Book of Dreams are detailed animated images of flora, fauna, and dreamers of the maw. Tris pockets it and they return. "If Standing Stone sends me into a beast's lair to die, I accept it."

In the meantime Indra and Gormflee ferry the sick elders into the hole, but not without some embarrassment for Gormflee who requests discretion from Indra. Upon Bortris' return, everyone else sees the as stained, old, with illegible sketches.

While bedding down, the party hears rising infrasonic tones of hunting owlbears. There's definitely more than one owlbear, which is unusual as they are solitary hunters. Sveinonee scouts above but can't find the owlbear, they figure out we're in the middle and shares this. Bortris consult tris mighty book, but their persistent trouble reading trips them up, as the book is full of academic language. Gormflee describes why being in the middle is really bad. In response Indra summons a monster: one of the owlbears! Sveinonee scouts to find the quiet one: It's a full size owlbear coming from about 15 minutes away through the tunnels. The party waffles, Gormflee insisting that someone must stay back with the sleepy people. The plan is at least a few members of the party (probably all of them for metagame reasons) will enter the tunnel to fight the owl bear.

Indra's Owlbear Aramrithee

Next Session: Tom to Outsider Move!

Owlbear Stat Block

Attack: Claws and beak (1D8 damage)
HP: 10 HP
Stats: +2 STR, +1 for all other
Tags: Not Reckless
Useful Adaptations Nightvision, Scary Call

Session Twenty Two (5/31/24)

Party discusses what to do, revealing Sveinonee's frustration. To protect the villagers, Indra suggests ritual-casting a Cone of Camouflage over the sleeping people. With Sveinonee's help, dra does! Gormflee muses to Bortris that the mushroom cult What is Underground in its Wisdom may have created this tunnel, but does not seem to be present here now. Bortris consults the Book of Dreams. (Spout Lore + Bond with book)

As the terrifying beast erupts from the tunnel Gormflee says some hard shit. "It's disconcerting to think we only live because we are ignored. *shrug* Let's do something that makes them notice us." Bortris leads the charge dealing a significant blow, our Owlbear scraps and darts avoiding damage itself. Gormflee does the mosh-like owlbear dance, showing flee's own ferocity, before leaping into the tunnel mouth mantis blade down. It's the killing blow! It staggers back, weakened before succumbing under our owlbear's coup de grace.

Sveinonee sees that the bone pile has disgorged it's secrets, jewels are everywhere. "This is the secret glory!" proclaims Indra. Gormflee prepares rations and materials for the journey. Bortris digs a hole and Indra hides the goodies in it, sealing with a ritual to prevent magical items being detected there for at least a week. Indra's got -1 INT ongoing until dra is able to have a few days of rest.

The next day the refugees are still too weak for heavy travel. Bortris cooks a big soup and does caretaking, Sveinonee relaxes, Indra bonds with the owlbear while keeping watch, and Gormflee explores the caves blazing our trail and finding an exit just after a mysterious pool of extra black darkness. How non-suspicious!

The party passes the night safely?

Money notes. The refugees take about 50 gold each. We offer them the rights to the money pit as seeds for their new home. Indra offers to identify anything magic they find for free, and buy it at a market rate if dra wants it.

Session Twenty Three (7/26/24)

After sleeping, we bundle up the refugees and head into the caves. The group comes to the area of strange darkness, about 10 meters of pitch blackness before the mushroom light resumes. The book of dreams has a relevant entry about the mushroom cult: They secured their special locations using a similar effect. Indra's understanding of magic is that this effect cannot be illusory. Gormflee is pretty sure it's a trap and proposes that Svienonee fly across and secure a rope. A hitch in the line causes Svenionee to drop the rope. Gormflee tries to throw the rope across unsuccessfully. Indra's owlbear is unwilling to leap across the pit. Svenionee come back across, to tie a rope to their spear for an expert throw. Nee misses.

The very last chance to cross is Ritual Magic. Indra determines dra needs assistance of Bortris to help with the book, to channel plant magic. Plan is to grow wizard staff to tree trunk size to make a bridge. Gormflee helps manhandle it while Indra maintains concentration to channel the plant magic. Staff-trunk get stuck in the other wall, which gives way partially causing Gormflee to fall into the inky darkness.

Session Twenty Four (8/2/24)

Before Gormflee fully tumbles to fleur death, Bortris heroically javelin-throws tris halberd to pin Gormflee's arm to the log. Still danging over the pit, Sveinonee calls upon the spirits of the soil to help flee up onto the log. The spirits respond with vigor, blasting Gormflee onto the ceiling temporarily, before flee falls down onto the far side. "You had elemental magic this whole time?!" The party crosses the log, noticing it's near-instantly growing mushrooms all along the underside.

It's a pain to shrink the staff again so Indra is content to abandon it, lamenting that it might reveal that dra was here. At Gorflee's egging, dra expresses a curiosity as to what the fire spirits might be able to do to conceal the arcane markings. Svienonee call the spirits, which explodes the log entirely and blasts everyone with shrapnel. Deafened, shouting Gormflee says "Let's leave magic to the wizard unless it's an emergency."

Outside there's an overgrown trail. We encounter the overstimulated owlbear pawing at it's ringing ear-holes. Indra seeks to calm the beast, and asks Bortris if there's a healing salve. Bortris does one better, laying on of hands and accepting the ringing right out of the owlbear deafening themselves to help. The group pauses to heal and sets off again, ear-ringing subsiding. Sveinonee uses their knowledge of the forest to both trailblaze and scout.

Svenonee sees some halflings walking along the path towards us, and Bortris hears them talking about an explosion they heard. Indra won't be caught without a cool wizard staff! Svenonee finds a cool one for dra. :D The halflings greet the party and refugees. These new folks indirectly ask if we've seen a cave around here, probably because they are cultists. Gormflee blabs that we did the explosion. Indra points out the owlbear as a companion, startling a few. Increasingly suspicious, they ask about what we did in the cave and if we know about the cult. "I am Bortris, follower of standing stone, who has gifted me a book in the cave that I used to learn about this group." Everybody's gasping and shocked. This grove really wants to meet the cult and get involved.

A round of formal introductions and boasting takes place. They give the party an introduction to the rest of their exceptionally large grove (The Harvesters) that has sought the cult for generations. They think it is significant that we met here and we offered any clue at all to the mushroom cult. We go our separate ways. Indra notices a face on a mushroom, but it's gone with a double-take. Gormflee thinks it's the cult spying on us. Bortris consults the book of dreams and thinks it's a Myconid, a sapient(?) tiny-species who live amongst the Maw. Nobody else can see this entry with any clarity. Indra is shocked at this lore! Perhaps dra should solve the magical mystery.

Chapter 2: Cloud City

Session Twenty Five (1/10/25)

The group discusses the viability of bringing the owl bear. Sveinonee mud-sticks the owlbear to see through it's eyes as needed. After having to talk down several groups of guards, Indra decides it's not viable to bring the owlbear especially as it's fairly tame but will retaliate if it feels threatened. Near the road is a developed fungi garden which is a place of power, Indra makes note to be able to return in the future. To do the ritual Indra needs: unusual ingredients.

Sveinonee flies up the tower and the rest of us must walk. Gwedra takes the party to The Flight Inn, which is just a layer above the high-end shopping of the Flaming Cone Mall. Out front of the hotel is a super big bulletin board with news of the day and want ads. The hotel is guarded by some folks in crimson threadwing armor, Gwedra gets us in because of her prior relationship with Emidra the proprietor even though we are a larger group that expected. We are extremely shabby looking compared to the other guests.

Gwedra gives us a nice introduction to Emidra Feathervein who bids us stay for one night for free plus food. Gormflee flashes the cash, making plans to party the next evening after selling bones to the concierge provided traders. We sleep well, this combined suite of rooms are extremely fancy with indoor plumbing.

Gormflee takes a luxurous bath and the layers of dirt wash off to reveal awe-inspiring scars that mark flee as Not To Be Fucked With. Freshly perfumed and sparkling with dragonfly wings flee sorts their booty for personal use, for sale, and party favors. Sveinonee is confounded by bathing and scents.

Housecall merchants arrive. They are quite interested of the source of the funds and we have various items that are ancient. We don't spill the beans, but say the refugees have this knowledge. We make an absurd amount of money! Gormflee is going to have much of the horde fashioned into sweet apparel, armor, and party favors.

Session Twenty Six (1/17/25)

Gormflee accepts the party's money and makes an epic party plan. Flee will be doing rituals, giving out awards, and gifts. Sveinonee is an impressively colorful bird, giving out golden coins. Bortris puts on their jeweled bellybutton ring and lives in the moment. Indra creates a wizardry corner and gives out gifts. There's an impromptu dance performance emphasizing bellies and butts!

Refugee Banflee reveals to flee is a member of the theives guild here in Cloud City and could make a few introductions. Gormflee swaps a few stories with the heartgrown. Banflee could show us around as they reestablish fleer connections. Indra become intrigued by the antics of a dragongrown juggler and acrobat: Zundra is a respected busker who can simply show up and work here. The two hit it off!

Quite late in the party, at 2am there's a bloodcurdling scream! In the hall outside the refugees' suites: a refugee says "They've killed dra, Gwedra is dead!" Bortris prays with them, calming them instantly. Gormflee rushes in, seeing several people gathered around Gwedra's corpse. Sveinonee guards the door. Weeping Indra isn't much help in the investigation. This leader dra grew close to was cut down. Gormflee notices that something about the splattered blood is amiss. While checking dra's pulse, Gormflee seems to touch poison on a cloth on a blowdart and wadding. The wadding has the stylzed abyssal render on the dart. Bortris cures the posion. Emidra enters, her shock and grief apparent. Gormflee rends their clothes and bellows in an existential rage and greif.

"Bortris I agree with you that there is a traitor." says Gormflee. The party discusses the possibilities. Indra remembers that someone going directly from Rothare to Cloud City would have beaten us, since we stopped to treasure hunt. Or the simian post can carry a message quickly. Indra thinks the Aggressive Reconciliation cult must have seen Gwedra as an existential threat to act so soon. And yet they signed their work? Sveinonee analyzes the poison: It kills by freezing the subject's blood, which is not a normal assassin's tool. Indra wants to ask the refugees permission to try to contact Gwedra's spirit while it's still fresh. BUM BUM BUMMMMMM

Session Twenty Seven (1/24/25)

At the party Bortis chats and bellydances. Tris heard of a powerful new organization in the city, no name. They are offering to pay well for information about the Abyssal cache. Not long before the scream, two hooded shady figures on the fringes of the party are looking for someone. One of the two is carrying a suspicious walking stick, and was slipping something into it.

The party discusses the ethics of contacting the dead. Gormflee thinks it's wrong but justified. Indra is okay with it because it's not prying into Gwedra's dragongrown secrets. Gwedra appears and confirms they were attacked by someone they don't know personally, who they suspect was a part of Aggressive Reconciliation. "How did you know that?" asks Gormflee, fucking it up big time. Gwedra disappears.

Sveinonee is hyped to visit the homes of everyone who attended the party. Indra wants to ask their busker. Sveinonee brings in Banflee to be our local connect. Banflee thinks they are hired professional assassins, perhaps from the Assassins' Guild. Again, not a normal poison. Gormflee asks if there was something more that made Gwedra important. Banflee doesn't know anything, but flee seems to be holding back info until we can be alone.

Emidra starts organizing the death ritual, assuming the role of being a member of Gwedra's grove. Perhaps they were former members of the same grove, or still are.

Party discusses how to proceed. Upon the morrow the party will visit the local rangers. Indra goes to bed. Gormflee drunkenly scolds Sveinonee for not believing they are singular, exceptional, headed for greatness. Bortris makes a good point about how we're all walking fertilizer for the Dreamers. Sveinonee collapses into a fetal position, overwhelmed by these gigabrain thoughts. A crowd gathers around to philosophy spectate. "I've seen you bleed Gormflee, you're just a halfling." "I'm a halfling, but there are none like me."

Session Twenty Eight (1/31/25)

Everyone collapses wastedly to sleep. Bortris maintains an unsleeping vigil, feels watched but can't find any spies. There are certain kinds of invasive or personal scrying spells that leave evidence though most do not. Perhaps though Bortis has mindfully detected a dreamer or other spiritual entity? Bortis thinks back with Bortis' help to their experience overnight. When tris felt watched they heard noises some of the time.

Morning routine hijinks ensue such as continental breakfast buffet, meditation, wake-up top rope body slam.

Sveinonee doesn't have the patience for any of this mystical talk and rockets out the window to find the Ranger station. Gormflee follows, asking someone on the street for directions. Sveinonee becomes immediately lost from having underestimated how big a Cloud City is. Bortis and Indra come along when they're done.

Gormflee takes fleur time, catching the gossip around town: A merchant is excited that a fine wine from a Heartgrown crowdscraper was successfully imported. People, too many people, are claiming they were *totally* at the super cool party last night. Nobody's seen any rangers in a couple of days. Bortris manages to flag down Sveinonee.

Reunited, the party makes it to the entirely unlabeled ranger station. Upon entry we quickly learn it's been recently abandoned. Indra closes and locks the door, we're gonna tear the place apart for it's secrets. We investigate together: Its was hastily abandoned 2 or 3 days ago. Paperwork is normal. No blowguns in the armory, but there is a stoppered poison bottle in the armory from within a bundle of aggressive reconciliation patches. Any personal keepsakes, personal property, weapons, have been removed. The actual clean out would have taken a long while, which doesn't mesh well the hastiness of other things.

We remember that Takatris exciled Gwedra and the other refugees. Takatris was setting up a gambit to draw out the aggressive reconcilliation by making it appear that AR had taken over Rothare. So maybe the rangers are headed to Rothare, responding to Takatris' call for aid?

Sveinonee isn't sure if the poison is the same. Bortris consults the book, learning of the alchemical origin of the freezing poison, called Iceworm. Harmless is small doses, deadly in large. Gormflee keeps the half full vial. Gormflee departs to "have a drink" with Banflee. Sveinonee begins a new career as a ranger.

Session Twenty Nine (3/28/25)

Gormflee goes to meet Banflee in a hive of scum in villainy. The bar has lots of curtained tables and shadowy corners. They toast Gwedra and get down to business. "What do you want to know?" "How to kill an abyssal render. I'll write the book on it some day." Gormflee reveals our suspicions that Takatris is playing a double game with AR. The Guild's leader Cedar has had our group watched closely. We're new, powerful, and arrived at a strange time. Gwedra knew Cedar. Cedar is very concerned about a device in their possession that is very similar to the device we heard you have. The festival is coming up, Cedar is very busy, but might be able to meet to satisfy their vendetta against the killers. Banflee id's the iceworm as a poison used by high level members of the assassin's guild, it's not something you can buy without the right connections. "What you have there is extremely dangerous." "Enough to kill a render..."

Bortris commences a thorough search on the Ranger station. A fireplace in a back room has fresh ashes in it: the remnants of a burned note with the words "-thare" "-dra" "with all haste". Sveinonee cleans up the front room, puts on a newbie name tag, and opens the Ranger station for business after a street food lunch.

Three elderly halflings enter the station. "Are you the replacement rangers? How is the gathering of the propeller tree seeds going? The children are expecting that by festival." The Great Falling and it's horny horny results is in merely 2 weeks, but children's decorated seeds are needed in a few days time.

Indra persuades Bortris to help with the binding ritual the two charter a flight to find it, using Sveinonee's intel. Gormflee returns to the Ranger station and immediately gets roped into doing work tree trimming and platform construction for the Great Falling festival's signature falling race. Gormflee makes promises, adds it to the list, and brushes this concerned organizer off. And yet... goes to the platform to assess it's safety! "I am not afraid of heights(!)"

Indra and Bortris find the owlbear. Bortris heroically heals it's terrible indigestion, allowing it to comfortably participate in the ritual. It costs a lot of crushed jewels and some chanting. Indra names this owlbear Aramrithee "Shadowed Wing" and again puts a prominent sigil on it's head. Quick collar for the city guard and they are good to go.

Gormflee attempts to conquer their fear of heights by shouting at the void and performatively sleeping because they are sooo relaxed. Against all odds, this seems to work. Sveinonee appears and tries to recruite flee to gather seeds.

Dinner and reunite. Without our input, the festival will be a dud! We decide to stay and help, as ourselves. Banflee comes by with information: A couple of weeks ago the rangers received notice to relocate. Four days a letter from Rothare directed them to hurry up to Rothare instead! A third device is planned for an attack, sometime soon. The party disagrees whether to try to work with the guild's mysterious motives or approach other groves in the anarchosyndacalist elder system. Banflee will try to arrange the meeting and promises to not to tell about our device to guild. "I swear by Bristlecone"

On the front stoop is a glowing green death lantern, and it smells like a corpse. Follows the mushroom trail into an abyssal cave where the mushroom cultists are. "Tris is here, the avatar of Standing Stone is here!" Everybody bows.

Session Thirty (4/25/25)

Bortris turns and walks out. When pressed, Bortris goes off on these cultists. In tris eyes they are fools to think tris is special, as they are just one of many paladins of Standing Stone, and there are many more Dreamers besides. Bortris is adamant that any adulation tempts terrible retribution from other Dreamers. Any such talk will travel through the trees and could lead to the war coming to Bortris' home village via jealous Dreamers. Indra wants to misdirect them, Bortris thinks they are too mad and dangerous to be reasoned with and just wants to leave. Bortris believes that Dreamers have claim over the halflings that live within their territory, and to potentially thwart that claim portends an escalation of the pollen wars in Standing Stone's territory.

Gormflee takes the place of worship emptying out and an opportunity to snoop around. There is an elder who seems to be in charge. The group are pre-existing worshipers of standing stone. Of the cultists, one group is furious to be condemned. One group's beliefs are confirmed absolutely based on Bortris' modesty and capriciousness. The final group is unsure what to do. "But we didn't find any way to help the avatar. We didn't find any tasks we could help tris with."

World Building Pause: How much of Bortris' beliefs are true canon?

Dreamers are capricious
Dreamers operate on tree time
Dreamers have territory, which might be as small as a village but often multiple
Dreamers grant their paladins powers which they use to care for the halflings of the village.
Dreamers can effect things more directly, for example with the harvest or sending clerics weird dreams.
Dreamers are at war with each other.
The Pollen wars are ongoing. Halflings might not know where the dreamer battlelines are, as they are fallable and Dreamers are confusing bosses.
Dreamers vary, some don't want any halflings around or don't cultivate paladins or aren't involved in the war.
There are hundreds of Dreamers, some great some minor.
Telling everyone your Dreamer is a big deal or giving out Great Boons puts you on the map as a target for Dreamers or pollen war combatants.
"One associated tree for paladins of the Bristlecone Alliance is Standing Stone, though only paladins of the order know this tree's true and sacred name."
Dreamers are unknowable nature spirits, who may or may not be out to get you.

Gormflee decides to put the cultists to work on behalf of the festival, but flee doesn't have the same pull as the avatar. "These jobs are beneath me." Sveinonee on the floor, "no I'm beneath you." Indra gives the cultists a PO Box to contact us in the future and warns them Bortis doesn't want to hear from them.

Sveinonee and Bortis compare notes on their relationship to the Dreamers. Sveinonee knows many superficially, Bortris has to set down roots with one. Indra admits they thought Bortris loved the Dreamers, and now sees how much distance and caution tris has. Indra mentions one day they would want to find a way to control a Dreamer.

Everybody goes to bed. Gormflee confesses flee has a crush on Bortris. They aren't satisfied with being second best and seeks Indra's advice. Gormflee tried to be like Bortris to woo them, now they will try being a capricious "bad boy" (what's a boy?) to mirror Standing Stone.

Tom, take +1 Forward to acting on the dating advice. (Indra has the ability to give this when you come to dra for advice)

Session Thirty One (5/16/25)

Bortris reflects on their vow to find our the truth about the murdered rangers. Sveinonee doesn't have a big ambition at the moment. Gormflee leads the party to tackle clearing branches along the route down from the giant platform. There's room for hundreds of people on the giant platform. Gormflee is testy the whole time, fear on the high platform and doing work that's beneath fleer. Bortris is a workhorse, increasingly grumpy themselves based on the complaints. Indra's reading about dreamers while dra's unseen servant ferries materials to and fro. Sveinonee flies off to collect propeller seeds.

The festival is 2 weeks away and it will take at least a week of effort maybe more. We probably can't do this alone. Banflee comes to get us. Bortris puts on the ring of illusory cleanliness and Gormflee puts on their sparkles. Cedar has posted up inside the Ranger's station.

Introductions. Showing off the devices we have. Found it in a special location at the base of the tree, placed by an unknown party. Cedar is suspicious of us based on circumstantial evidence. Big talk with Cedar, sharing lots of information. Takatris is in fact in charge of Aggressive Reconciliation!

Cedar offers information about the Peace Dreamers, as they are the parent organization of offshoot Aggressive Reconciliation. Peace Dreamers want to end the wars by mediating between Dreamers. Aggressive wants to speed up the process. Perhaps by forcing Dreamers out into the open by presenting a greater threat? Full plan not known to Cedar, not able to get agents inside.

Botris says that PD think that halflings our powerful, maybe they think they can subjugate Dreamers. Cedar thinks it was a false flag, perpetrated by a former assassin's guild member who they've tracked in Rothare.

Bortris says All Rangers Are Bastards. Plan: Find buzzbugs to deprive them from AG, offer them in a some kind of trade to draw Takatris out. One method might be to find rangers who are still in town as agents.

Session Thirty Two (5/23/25)

Bortris, Sveinonee, Gormflee, and Indra sleep the night away. The thieves guild will help do ranger repair stuff in exchange for our help. Bortris' fan club has sent an apology, they are confused how they wronged the avatar.

Magic ritual to create a buzzbug detector, to do it it will consume a fully working buzzbug. They'll have to find the first one the old-fashioned way. Bortis reveals tris cannot sleep deeply while on a quest, and often sleeps for multiple days in a row upon completing it. Gormflee made pancakes, which is the only thing that can wake Sveinonee.

Gormflee has an idea: Fix the buzzbug we have and do the ritual from there! Sveinonee brushes off Gormflee's hovering to fix the bug in peace. Sveinonee calls upon Indra's help to noodle on the shape a replacement part should take, as nee crafts and inserts it. Nee is able to repair the bug, and it won't quite work until it's turned on for a bit. Indra proposes they charter flights in and out of a remote area, asking Sveinonee for advice for where to choose as a drop off location: The bone pile. Would we be safe from Renders up in the crown? Gormflee remembers a twilight-dweller tale about a render ambushing a Dreamer from above. How'd that happen?

They agree on the loose outline of a plan and they go to charter a best friend ferry at the pilot bar. Referred to Xagnee by bartender. As everyone knows, Xagnee is as alluring as nee is dangerous. Gormflee and Bortris both can't help falling a little bit in love with nee until the next sunrise. They fall all over themselves trying to impress Xagnee, and invite them to stay and have lunch with us in the tree. "I'm hunting a render, actively." "Oh you're hunting all right." We promise 75 coin, bonus up to 100 if we come back in one piece today.

Bortris smoothly offers to buy Xangee lunch, so we can have a picnic. Gormflee asks Indra's advice and gets "focus on the mission". Indra asks back for the magic ring of cleanliness for Bortris, who bolts to do more primping. Indra realizes what dra did, and tries to offer it again causing tris to ask "do I need it?". Luckily Gormflee swoops in to say something reassuring, and Indra can pocket the ring once more. All this dillydallying means we're leaving later than expected. 100 flat and 25 for the bonus.

We mount the largest best friend anyone's ever seen that can fit the whole party plus Owlbear and Bortris' outrageous picnic basket. Sveinonee turns into a Haku, spooking the best friend. Haku are very territorial, and Sveinonee has drawn the attention of the nearest one.

REMINDER: Do the Undertake a Perilous Journey move at the start of next session to inform how on the ball or ambushed we are by the Haku.

Session Thirty Three (6/27/25)

Bortris and Gormflee hoard the picnic supplies. Indra and Owlbear meditate. Sveinonee trailblazes and scouts, spotting the territorial Haku on the approach. Sveinonee tries to defuse it by becoming a Swarmother, but spooks our Bestfriend who goes into a dive. Bortris looses a lot of the food in the dive, and Gormflee barfs over all the rest. Wiping off dra's face Indra casts Doppleganger, accidentally splitting draself off onto this new bird. Sveinonee turns into a Skewerbird a dives to intercept. The begin an epic sky battle! Gormflee and AramRithee leap on to the derpy-dopple-friend. Gormflee cries challenge to claim the beast's aggro and deafen it, totally blasting AramRithee in the process. Indra returns to the original best friend, noting that if dra looses focus on the bird it will disappear. Sveinonee calls upon the spirits of the air, ineffectually. Owlbear is attacking the very bird it's on.

Gormflee attempts the ill-considered gambit to tackle the owlbear off the dopple-bird and onto the enemy Haku. Indra interferes, trying to protect the owlbear. Dumbass Gormflee pinwheels into space, catching Indra and dragging dra with them into the air. Sveinonee turns into a best friend and catches them. Indra looses concentration on the dopple-friend but Xangee catches the owlbear coming out of a glide. Xangee lands, which reveals we're actually not far away from Cloud City at all and an excited crowd of halflings are appauling the show of flying they've seen. Sveinonee lands with a self-closeline, unable to steal any of Xangee's thunder.

Indra is upset with Gormflee for risking their pet's life and Gormflee is dismissive "You've got to learn to trust me." Sveinonee: "It's okay, I'm fine, nobody check on me"

We go above the bonepile in the crown. Repaired buzzbug doesn't put out the same level of buzz we're expecting, it probably needs to be attuned. Sveinonee and Gormflee work together to get it sounding right. Indra complains to Bortris about Gormflee, and is possibly holding some pettiness. Gormflee makes one last flirt with Xagnee, moderately successfully. Indra pays the pilot.

The place of power for the ritual is the burl halfling graveyard. It's working because it's detecting one right now! It's in the form of a fire bowl. One above us, one on about the same level as us. As we set out, we hear the droning of a buzz bug!

NEXT REST: Tom and Kam level up!

Session Thirty Four (8/8/25)

Sveinonee turns into a bird, seeking the buzzbug higher up, and immediately determines that the higher one was safeguarded by the theives, and so goes towards the buzzing noise on our same level. The party follows. Gormflee races along, seeing the owlbear carrying Indra and Bortris veering off, which will cost extra time.

Owlbear's jump is onto something soft, it crashes through into space. Indra manages to Web the owlbear to a large moving surface we encounter in space. Through a series of Looney Tunes antics, Bortris and Indra manage to tie themselves to the owlbear and the surface. The surface roars, it's a Render here to devour the buzzbug!

Sveinonee sees three children panicking over an active buzzbug, "turn it off!" and flies at them top speed, turning back into a halfling. Ben weighs his most important roleplaying choice, resolving finally: "I bodyslam the child." Grabs the buzzbug.

Gormflee thinks about what kind of situation might scare off a Render. (Players know they are typically shy of settlements, a hive beetle work.) Gormflee realizes that this Render is deaf, which is probably typical for the species. Gormflee tries to bang out challenge, but it's an ironwood tree, causing dead wood to shower down around flee.

Bortris boldly tries to hack tris way into the Render. We'll hide or attack it from the inside! Indra is not feeling this plan, and Bortris does manage to do damage to the great beast but gets tris ax grappled.

Sveinonee rockets away, buzzbug in Haku talons. Gormflee has a moment of internal struggle: To fight a render, or defend the community? A render destroyed their village and what they would have wished would be to protect those groves. Denying flee's appetites, they call out to the children, "So much of life is humdrum! You have a chance to live! TAKE IT!" Gormflee kicks a huge branch out of the way protecting the children, taking great injury and getting pinned. "It's up to you now"

Bortris drops their ax and digs in using their 4 point navel piercing, digging an increasingly disturbing crater into it's flesh. Indra cuts free the owlbear, everyone is free! The Render stops shuddering and thrashing and directly attacks the newly free characters with multiple tentacles.

Sveinonee notices that the buzzbug in the air no longer attracts the render, nee lands mimicking the beetle's natural way of moving on a tree. When attached, the tentacle light show becomes more colorful again though not frenetic. It drops the ax, and Bortris catches it.

Indra's thinking of launching off the render to escape, but pauses to take in this mad situation. Dra notices the different tone of the buzz bug, much quieter. Dra thinks, probably the super-tree's super roots was driving it crazy! The render will move towards the buzz bug, instinctively. When it moves it it's in-motion limbs will be something to launch off of or beware. All is as it seems: A caused by teen accident and a young render that was drawn here.

Internal Reflection Moments: Gormflee's momentarily powerlessness gives them a moment to reflect. Is flee's assigned gender actually correct? All this reflection, do they need to start wearing fishnets? Bortris' unspoken thought while in flight. It was really fun to flirt with pilot alongside Gormflee, maybe because there's a dawning fantasy about being in a grove with them?

Session Thirty Five (9/5/25)

State of the battle:

Sveinonee has landed on another tree a short distance from the cloudscraper with the buzzbug.
Indra is on the Render, though not bound.
Bortris is on the Render with Indra and the owlbear.
Gormflee is trapped by collapsed ironwood, on the cloudscraper
3 children. 1 is out cold, 2 are freaking out.
Render is responding to creates on it, while moving towards the buzzbug it can sense.

Sveinonee cries challenge to the Render, pressing the buzzbug into the wood for extra resonance. Gormflees rolls the log over themselves quietly so it will pick up speed and crash 'noisily' far away from all of them. How? By rapping a verse from How to Be Gormflee, pummeling the treestump into motion with fleur powerful voice. The log sails into the air and pierces into the Twilight. Gormflee administers first aid to the children, having a character moment by ignoring a render hunt to help others.

Bortris continues to cling and attack. After all, if it isn't stopped it poses and existential threat to the city. Indra launches off the render, releasing the owl bear, to land on the back of an adult-sized render doppleganger dra summons across the planes.

The players reassess how far in the air or not everyone is. We weren't in the cloudscraper foliage when this all kicked off, we were instead adjacent to the hollow trunk at the height of the regular forest's twilight layer. We were in the twilight layer the whole time! This makes more sense anyway, as the render wouldn't need to pull it's hidden body out of the abyss.

Indra attacks with her Render, dealing damage that gets past armor. However it isn't very powerful as it's a dubiously real construct maintained by Indra's will. It turns to flee, with it's tasty Bortris meal still in-hand. Indra's render restrains the little one from escaping, and it goes limp like a scruffed cat. Indra realizes this is the one best chance to subjugate a render to their will. Bortris inspects their lore book for information on the "locus of intellect" for the species. Bortris discovers renders are a holobiont (a collection of species working in super-close proximity) with 6 codependent brains! Indra's staunching a increasingly bloody nose, exasperatedly asking "Which one is the sovereign intellect which commands the others?!"

Indra asks for Bortris' help to tame the beast and they reach out together. Indra uses dra's own blood to scribe a rune upon the render-brain, thus establishing an Ethereal Tether. Indra can perceive realities as through it and communicate with it at any distance. As they touch the brain together Indra and Bortris lose consciousness. The doppelganger disappears, the juvenile render flops lifelessly down. DUN DUN DUNNNNN

Session Thirty Six (September 26, 2026)

Meta Chats: Goal of wrapping in 10 sessions. Plus two brainstorming sessions: Twilight and Crown. Goal of wrapping by midterms 2026.

Gormflee goggles that flee's companions would have been able to defeat a render. Flee gives a medical emergency holler, to summon aid for this injured teen, and starts a fire to mark their position. Aid parties are on their way. As they brachiate they are muttering to themselves many inside-thoughts.

Sveinonee sees the Render-touchers fall down towards the abyss with the sliding out of sight render. It's giving off a slow pattern of lights, as if dreaming. Sveinonee turns into a small manuverable hawk, to dive and look for nee's companions. Render is about the size of a blue whale. Landing, Sveinonee can see signs of life. It's unusual because one doesn't seem Bortris sleep much!

Indra and Bortis: Can't see, a cacophony of noise and vibration. The wash of noise resolves into our ability to sense our surroundings. Can't sense leaves, can sense the bark: Solidity is what we can sense. There's a spider-web network of thead-like filaments. Where they come together they are more dense, there's 6 foci each of which is interconnected. (brains probably) Don't really have a connection with our bodies, but know that Bortis is there.

Pushing towards the ring it resists. Indra calls out to the render to speak, it does. Bortris uses tris connection to the book, understanding it's a psychic creature. Psychic connection is needed to understand it.

Indra asks Bortris if tris wants to leave the link, as they are going to master this render or die. Bortris doesn't want to have to watch a friend die, and so elects to stay. Indras says, "Companions to the end, then." Bortris: "Are you proposing we become grove-mates?"

Gormflee lands in a dramatic pose, spilling out a full grove marriage proposal. Sveinonee has full-serious face, is exfiltrating Bortris. Gormflee's love suffuses through the psychic medium as a warm golden light. Bortris want to accept, Indra thinks this is all going too fast, but they both feel there's something special happening. It's kismet! No one realizes it yet but Indra, Bortris, and Gormflee are in a grove together. Our ancestral braids have been intertwined, or perhaps a new family braid has been created! How did this happen? A render is a grove, after all, and seemingly officiated our union.

We are in contact with the render, but it's not conscious. A bond with each of the brains is what it required for a deeper connection to create a bond. We now have an amorphous, plot driven psychic connection established between Indra, Bortris, and render. Distance weakens the connection to a tiny trickle of information. We know OOC this is probably not the last time we'll see the render.

As our sleeping forms are moved away, we are pulled away from the render's brains. Indra feels pulled both by the render not wanting to let us go, and the distance stretching us. It becomes straining and finally painful before it releases. Bortris doesn't struggle and so feels it calmly. Springing to consciousness, Indra is having a seizure!

Bortis comes to consciousness slowly, talking with Sveinonee. The group gathers and talks. Gormflee proposes, and won't take wishywashyness, wanting a firm yes or no. Sveinonee just laughs when asked. Bortis confirms it's for real with Indra, and would accept Gormflee's proposal but won't unless Indra does. Indra isn't sure, and so offers a "no" to Gormflee. Sveinonee to Gormflee: "We've been an incomplete grove since we met in the Abyss, ya dingus."

Session Thirty Six (11/7/25)

A rescue group cames, teens found. A great deal of confusion, people weren't sure what happened lots of confusing rumors flew around town. An angry mob was going to storm the ranger HQ but Cedar of the thieves guilt intervened. In private, Cedar tells us that guild found and disabled a half a dozen more buzzbugs. They've got the hang of finding them now, but they wouldn't say no to our help if we wanted. The city's administrative class knows about this threat to the city, who are considering whether to cancel the Great Falling.

Gormflee tells the tale of their oath. Small salt seeker community ravaged by a render, flee swore revenge. Bortris and Gormflee are of a mind: only when Gormflee returns to their grove will their oath be completed. It start with a smoke-cleaning and the party helps!

The Prongs:

Gather resources for negotiation/settlement
find out the artisan
learn more about renders
meet Peace Dreamers to learn more
Gather the Angry Druids
follow what happened to the rangers

New oath, new scarification on Gormflee's ear of 4 interlocking minds, linked as a mark of respect for renders now. "I'm afraid of heights"

Session Thirty Seven (11/14/25)

The Great Falling is within a week. Gormflee and Bortris are going to hit the books about renders. Sveinonee and Indra are going to seek the artisan through Cedar or merchants.

Sveinonee and Indra use a dead drop to ask Cedar who could have made the buzzbug, and a messenger delivers them to a mechanics workshop, where many collaborating artisans make stuff. Sveinonee flits around the high ceiling, noticing an artisan in the back watching Indra's floating backpack curiously. They seem to work with crimson threadwing, making fine or ornamental armor. Introduces self as Ilnee, and is wearing some kind of antimagic necklace that prevents them from being charmed. The word is out we'd be on our way, and that Indra has "boundary issues". Some moderate investigating and questioning later reveals only one craftsperson could have made this, Bannee, a sought-after crafter who left about a year ago in the company of a new patron.

Gormflee and Bortris go to the public library. Philosophy alert! "Are Dreamers natural? Is it important that they sometimes die, in order to complete the cycle?" Bortis contends that individuals may do so, but that like the seasons they are renewed. Gormflee is still grappling with the transition in understanding about renders being natural, but also so dangerous. Flee is asking questions about when it's time for a Dreamer to die, which is not suspicious at all. Bortris can't answer this question, as they operate at different scales from halflings. How could an ant comprehend the death of a tree? Bortris clarifies that as capricious local gods, someone has to get in there to avert catastrophe. A lot of knowledge. "If someone can get a render to do what they want, can someone get a dreamer to do what they want?" These are wizardly thoughts Gormflee! Bordering on hubris! The credible power to destroy something is what makes you matter, or a peer to someone. Gormflee wants to be able to fight a render or Dreamer. Bortris questions about whether Gormflee wants the power to live or die others. Gormflee is silent, realizing only now that their pursuit of destructive power is related to their foundational trauma and losing their grove of origin. Bortris takes hand and they are able to talk about this a little. "I need to make sure they don't die again." "I want to decide when I die, I want others to tremble in the dark at my coming" Bortris has heard about necromancy, the two will ask Indra about this when they have a chance. Bortris would do an awful lot for the group. Is ride or die to a probably unhealthy agree.

Legend with multiple different versions found in library: Village attacked by render. Mute child approached render and raised a hand without touching, pausing the attack before it left. A few days later the child disappeared from the village.

Lunchtime meetup! Party talks about trying to find an Abyssal Druid, who might know a lot about renders. Also Indra receives a note: "Cedar needs to see you. Your Base."

Session Thirty Eight (11/21/25)

As we head back to our base the party notices a fair amount of anxiety in the city, a hollowed from of anticipation less pleased than before. Sveinonee clocks the situation, noticing that people are watching us perhaps even a group following us but can't be sure. Sveinonee makes the case that we should ensure the Great Falling happens so show our commitment to the community. Cedar greets us upon our return, and reveals they captured a buzzbug saboteur held here at the ranger station. Cedar hasn't heard back from spies yet about whether buzz bugs are a problem elsewhere, but as well Cloud City's festival is known across the Maw and is a draw. Gormflee is having wizard thoughts, does a ritual of this scale have importance in the celestial ecosystem we can't touch. Something that touches the dream scale. After all, the ritual seems to stretch all the way back to the city's founding.

World Building confirmation: There are many dreamers, major and minor. It's hard for non-Paladins to have any confidence which tree in the magic grove is actually a dreamer, and dreamers operate so indirectly and slowly that understanding there's an interaction is hard for non-paladins. Since dreamers can't move, minor ones often take pains to conceal their exact location. Remember that Standing Stone is the patron of both Bortis' village and Cloud City. Broader Andorith canon reminder: Magic comes from ley lines and souls (such as the ley soul)

Party discusses the sources of their powers. Sveinonee is all intuitive. Indra pries precious knowledge from a wisdom tradition, it's true source unknown. Gormflee is continuously surprised by their powers. Indra reflects on their sorcerery, and has an intuition that their magic is one manifestation of something that Dreamers also channel in their own way. This idea is based on a stolen magical tome, taken from their master. Unfortunately, they couldn't read as much as they like because the words faded of the page as a protection spell in a matter of hours.

The party approaches the cell, seeing a sneering Dreamgrown halfling in ranger uniform (not armor). "Sveinonee I should have known, we meet again." The voice reminds Sveinonee of Takatris, but they look different. Gormflee and Indra recognize their face from somewhere in Rothare. Bortis remember them accurately as Atatris, who was Takatris' right hand and spied on us from behind a curtain.

Indra hits Atatris with a double truth spell, such that they see us as friendly and can't make lies of omission. We start the interrogation. Confirms they are a member of Aggressive Reconciliation, placing the bug for "the appointed time". Takatris' plans are secret from Atatris. There is a team here, that Atatris is leading as it's a crucial part of the plan. The goal is to end the war forever by uniting Dreamers and halflings against a common cause, probably via renders. "Find a way to bring Dreamers and Halflings together in common cause." It's all dead drops and cut outs. Comparing notes on the day immediately prior to the festival.

We are known in Rothare which now has additional defenses. Several hundred rangers are there, many of whom are from Bristlecone. Probably a quarter of rangers are AR, in this region the number nears 100%. Most rangers were already Peace Dreamers, so the members are susceptible to the radical promise of speed and clarity in the "misunderstanding" between dreamers and halflings. Confirmation that Takatris' "sting operation" line was cover given to suspicious Peace Dreamers. Bannee has been in Rothare the whole time! Takatris has various competant successors waiting in the wings. Atatris doesn't know what the peaceful world looks like, isn't aware of and Ranger ambitions for the post-revolution. AR has many more buzzbugs than needed for Cloud City, there's stockpile. Team of 6, six bugs each, appointed time is first day of festival. There could be easily more people and bugs. Gormflee gets a bunch of concrete information about Rothare's defenses and weapons.

We leave and Sveinonee lingers in the room to call upon the spirits of this place. Nee sees an incomplete buzzbug with hands working on it, the older halfling mechanic they see in profile. Sveinonee will be able to recognize this halfling in the future. The workshop is on a cloud island near Rothare. Using this, Sveinonee could find this location!

Bortis can't imagine why Takatris is so personally compelling, how this pitch is grabbing people so completely. (Then again this guy is a leader and lots of people had to be forced to be drink the flavoraide).

Next time: Starting with our reaction to Atatris. (And probably Bortris swearing a quest about what we've learned.)

Session Thirty Nine (12/19/25)

Group talks about masters and how they learned their skills. Sveinonee reveals they wandered away from their master, distracted. Accidental graduation. Bortris talks about the dreamscape, where Standing Stone comes to tris in dreams. A waking dream is unlike anything they'd have experienced. Tris was able to interpret physical signs like dancing ants or moving vines. Sveinonee mentions their Druidsleep, a way to connect to the forest as a whole not just one tree. Sveinonee doesn't talk to them, they listen to what an ecosystem needs or is experiencing.

First all party ritual! Gormflee calls upon the old way, the bloody ways, the all or nothin' ways: We sacrifice our experiences of gaining knowledge to gain some additional insight from Atatris. Indra was going to watch and take analytical notes, but feel compelled by something inside them to help. The ritual circle seems to backfire, as Gormflee is blasted out of it and against the wall. Gains the insight on how to improve next time, a +1 forward. Indraw says, "If there's not skin in the game there's no power to be gained." which is hard as hell dude.

Group continues to chat. Gormflee guiltily suggests we kill 'em all, qualifying that they're trying to turn over a new leaf. Sveinonee questions what causes halflings to try to pervert the Maw to their ends. "Are you suggesting there's a Dreamer behind Aggressive Reconciliation?!" "To heal a tree you cannot simply put the bark back, you must find the source of the disease."

The group resolves to go to the buzzbug workshop, leaving Cedar to run counter-intelligence against the remaining AR network in Cloud City. We plan to hire Xagnee with the best friend for transit. Bortris knows a legend about Atatris' home village where their local Dreamer was frightened away by a child. This has some resonance to another legend about a Render from Session_Thirty_Seven_(11/14/25).

Next Time:

Will Bortris remain questless?
Is there an evil dreamer out there?
Who is going to hit on Xagnee if we're all dating maybe?
What dangers await the party at the buzzbug workshop in a cloudscraper near Rothare?
What's up with an Abyss druid?

Session Forty (1/30/26)

After getting a half day head start from Xagnee, we're traveling through the Canopy via brachiation, which will take a few days. We can return for the festival provided we don't get too waylaid. Sveinonee leads us well, and we decide to proceed with overnight movement. Sveinonee gets a handful of slimy amber, which they identify (incorrectly) it's dropping from the floating omnivore swarmmother. Continuing on we see more amber glow ahead, becoming more frequent as we proceed. Bortris takes a look in tris' book, correctly identifying them as signs of a sludgewhip colony.

We camp overnight and use Indra's owlbear (a natural predator) to scare our path clear in the morning. We swing through a curtain of vines, encountering a glade of bright open mossy space with white flowers. As soon as our feet touch it, the flowers release a cloud of white petals. Bortris has an intuition that we're about to be in the center of a feeding frenzy of some kind! It's Fairy Flowers, so we are rapidly covered in the tasty nectar and beset by flying insects and birds. Running, Gormflee scatters a few with fleur's sword. Bortris reaches out for Indra's hand, as dra barrels into a particularly thick clump and can't speak for a moment or two.

Sveinonee's uncanny vision lets nee navigate like a local as we approach the secret workshop. The group talks about the plan, and the plan plan. Capture the artisan and if possible prevent anyone escaping to Rothare to give warning that their capacity is weakened. The party agrees to split, Gormflee and Indra or Sveinonee and Bortris. The dating couples say some sweet things about the plan to split up. Sveinonee gives incredible undercover advice to Bortris: In order to masquerade as a druid, act like yourself but don't use proper nouns for Standing Stone.

The Plan: Bortris and Sveinonee approach obviously via the front door. "We're here to join and help out." Gormflee, Indra, owlbear sneak underneath the base ready to go loud if things go sideways.

Book Three: Into The Breach

Session Forty One (February 6, 2026)

Workshop in the Rothare canopy.

As we approach Sveinonee notices that this cloud island is supported almost entirely from above. That's uncommon, as most are supported from below and sides. The druid ruse team try to align about "druid thoughts", discussing how one would coax trees to grow like this. They put up their hoods and go for it!

Across the wooden bridge, there are a couple of halflings working methodically moving stuff around. They look exhausted with drawn eyes, giving a permissive nod up across the bridge.

Gormflee and Indra are in position above the workshop, ready to glide in on the owlbear. Well-traveled Gormflee intuits that this location was created by druids, because there's a small altar for plant sacrifices.

After knocking, Bortris enters the workshop. Inside are 6 halflings using druidic magic to make buzzbugs, they are similarly haggard and disinterested. "Master, two new ones" summons an older halfling who approaches to put them to work on some vines upstairs. It seems like the building is fundamentally unstable, needing constant labor to not collapse apart. The most unexpected thing are bubbling caldrons of tinctures and lab equipment, which isn't expected druid behavior.

"Will retiring from safety stagnate our relationship?" Potential for drama between Gormflee and Indra. They notice a humming at the edge of perception, disconcertingly emanating from somewhere in the area. Indra uses detect magic, and realizes that there are veins of magic in roots, vines, and trees. The magic is reaching our from the workshop but being restrained from transcending vertical layers. It seems to travel further in thin vines, and less in thick vines. Indra notices horizontal branches reaching towards the island, as if it's airgapped but wanting to connect to other plants. Amongst the hanging chain there's a lone scared sludgewhip. Gormflee goes for bridging the gap!

Sveinonee asks the elder halfling what's going on, who's got just no time for them and tries to push them off to work. On the "roof" they can see the vines holding up the workshop, and the party gets in contact with each other via stones. "Do your fully erect rock thing." "In the past I might not have asked, I'm glad I found people who want me to do my thing."

Sveinonee has a vision of a Dreamer trying to connect a branch with a vine. Gormflee lands and there's no wiggle, as if they are invisible connected or pulled towards one another. If the plants touch, it could effect the suspension of the could island? The magic could rush out uncontrollably? Something is preventing it form connecting. There's a general wrongness to this area, it's unnatural. Be on the lookout for, the Maw retreating. The magic and natural world are reaching together, but it's as if they are diametrically unable to touch. A third party? Magnetism?

The party resolves to find the artisan who must be here directing all of this, meets on the roof, and goes downstairs together. (owlbear within calling distance still in a tree)

Session Forty Two (February 20, 2026)

Plan on the roof. The search for Bannee. Sveinonee helps Bortris concoct a variety of excuses for why we're searching for Bannee. They go back inside, and Bortris observes the workers. They are pushing themselves to the limit, perhaps with the fearful zeal of cultists. Sveinonee gets distracted and overwhelmed, Bortris talks nee through a series of deep breaths. Botris addresses the leader, who reveals they are Bannee.

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DW War To End All Wars