Session 148 - The Forgotten Feast

22 Vallion

The party stands on the pink sand looking into the jungle. Alke leans and picks up something from beneath her feet. A plank in the grasp of a vine. It's unclear where it came from. Hopofilius says they should investigate the treeline, but there’s still that feeling of being watched. A large spider the size of a hand peeks out onto the sand, then scurries away. After they complete the patrol, they turn back and see that at the far south of the beach there is a jagged rock formation, not far from the shore. Upon it is a strange symbol carved into the stone. The carving looks like a bulbous creature with snakelike arms. 

“Maybe it’s telling us there’s one of them,” Xan say’s, pointing at the stone “...in there” and she points out to the sea. While Alke and Braz ponder the sculpture Xan is staring at it. Something large snake-like arms rings a bell from a memory. 

Krakens. She tells them of the stories when she was a child, the Kraken would grasp at sailors and take them from ships, and steal children from their beds. 

“On the shores of the bay lived three children with their grandmother. The tantalising ocean waves in the bay sparkled like a million diamonds, and the spray tickled their noses as they stood watching the water.

Their wise old grandma always warned, "My darlings, the ocean is a place for grown-ups and sailors. It holds terrible dangers!"

The children disregard the warning. " Sounds like a bedtime story, grandmother!"

The next day, the sunshine was bright, and the ocean sang a siren song. Ignoring grandmother’s warnings, the eldest child, fueled by curiosity, snuck away. The cool water was like a silky hug, and they splashed happily, feeling brave.

The night time came but she never came home.

The next day, the sunshine was even more beautiful, and the ocean danced a beautiful jig. Ignoring again their grandma’s word, the middle child, unable to resist, crept away. The sparkling water was like a gentle embrace, and they floated happily in the waves.

The darkness fell and he never came home.

The third day was again bright. The ocean shone over the sandy dunes. The youngest of the children ran away towards the sea. The cool water, a welcome embrace after the sun's beams, swirled around them like a new silk dress. Splashing with joy, they ran into the water.

The evening fell and she never came home.

Back on the beach, the grandmother, her heart heavy with worry, searched for her grandchildren. 

The next morning, all that remained were small, white bones bleached by the sun and with scraped tooth marks engraved upon them. The beach echoed with silence and a warning.

Remember, the ocean is a playground for grown-ups and sailors, and the kraken waits for the disobedient.”

She had almost forgotten the tales. They terrified her as a child and she could only be soothed by the stories of Xander.

The memories distract her and she focuses on the rock formation, almost seeing the Kraken coming to life in front of her eyes. She sees the bones of the children on the shore in front of her eyes, the bite marks cut into them. 

“I guess let’s go, either way I’ll be fine or I’ll be bones and won’t care.”

The party begins to investigate the treeline, and see if they can make their way through the plants. Theo floats on his sword in front of the others .

Someone approaches them in the forest. Two elves approach them. 

“Why have you come here? Even if you have knowledge this place will kill you. A question for a question - why have you come here?”

Hipofilius answers, “Helios. Themis. We journey seeking allies as the path of peace comes to an end.”

“The oath is ending. We did not know.”

“Is this your home?”

“Begrudgingly, yes. If we try to escape Hexia brings us back, but eats an escapee to show us. We try to build homes and she destroys them. Any misstep means death. Every month on a full moon, she hunts one of us. But you come from Themis?”

Theo pipes up “We are from the mainland”

“We have not had news from the mainland in many years. We are merely a sport for Hexia. She can live off the boar and the deer but that is not enough for her.” They speak to each other in elven and then return to the party to agree on an approach. They will join them to fight Hexia. Xan squints at them, they seem to be desperate, not prepared. There is no subservience about them - it seems they are so afraid that they would take their fight to Hexia even if it meant they don’t survive this. 

Braz asks them their names, Darok and Patrea. They gather 10 elves to fight with them, and discover the elves use vines and crawls to travel amongst the trees. Along the wood there are hooks and handholds, storage places to put things for later. It becomes clear there are also places for people to sleep in the trees also. This is born of necessity, the elves have adapted to this situation. The forest floor is not an option in this land.

Below them there is an elf skeleton, on the floor of the forest, covered in moss in most places, slack-jawed. Darok whispers to Theo - “Do not trust the corpses on this island. Just watch.” Darok picks up a piece of bark and bounces it from a tree to hit near the skeleton. After a second vines creep around the skeleton and move it around as if hunting for something. It sits up then stands, shambling in the direction of the noise. 

After a short rest and a discussion about flowers and frogs, the party makes their way to the top of the mountain. They are now lowered down and on ground level. The elves seem to change their appearance slightly through camouflage.

An entrance to a tunnel, stone, and moss, jagged stone and bones. A deep and powerful voice echoes throughout the cavern 

“DID YOU THINK I WOULD FORGIVE AND FORGET? IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU, I AM TRAPPED IN THIS AWFUL LAND.” Frome one of the holes in the ceiling there is a green snout and mouth opening and a green thick smoke filling the cavern. Alke reaches out and sends the smoke away but it still whips around them.

The dragon seems to blame the party (or the elves at least.)

“The dragon is jealous of someone - of everyone. She sees many as rivals to someone, to herself.” they pause “we should move, we do not want to be trapped in this save.” The cave they enter is filled with tropical flowers, some sunlight comes through the roses and thorns. Echoing through the chamber, even though they can’t see her.

“I AM STILL EXPECTED TO UPHOLD OATHS, YET YOU COULD NOT UPHOLD A VOW.” 

There seems to be a sound of a harp coming from somewhere in the cave - a well played song. 

In the centre of the cave is a lagoon, with a tree carving with steps leading upward. In the stairs within the bark next to a huge harp of gold and emerald is a woman. She plays the harp beautifully and looks at the Chosen. From 100ft away they can see the fear in her eyes.

"I HAVE MADE THIS PLACE A MEMORIAL TO ME AND MY SUFFERING. EACH BIT OF HAPPINESS I HAD TO STEAL BACK FROM YOU.”

Around the cave there are petrified creatures, 500 years of Pythors consorts staring down into the cave, their emptiness following them in the light.

“EACH NYMPH, EACH ATHLETE, EACH SCULLERY MAID THAT YOU FLAUNTED BEFORE ME”

The water ripples and Hexia emerges from the water, shining and wet, green. Pythor in her grasp.

“BUT YOU PYTHOR, WERE MY GREAT LOVE, MY ONLY LOVE, AND I HAVE FOREVER BEEN FAITHFUL. MY LIFE HAS BEEN A TRAGEDY AT THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER AT THE HANDS OF THE DRAGONLORDS. BUT YOU WERE THE ONE PIECE OF HAPPINESS I HAD AGAINST THE IMMENSE DARK”

The woman playing the harp is scared but continues.

“YOU ROBBED ME OF EVERYTHING” she smashes a hand down “AND NOW ANOTHER OF YOUR SPAWN IS HERE TO ROB ME OF MY LIFE AGAIN”. Hexia stares them down, following them around. “I KNOW YOU, CHOSEN. AND I KNOW WHY YOU HAVE COME.” She spits again. “AS THOUGH I'M NOT THE WOUNDED PARTY, THE WIFE HE HAS FORSAKEN” she is crying “I FOUGHT SO HARD TO OVERCOME AND BE WORTHY OF YOU LOVE. YOU DISCARDED ME. SPAT ON EVERYTHING YOU EVER DID FOR ME.”

She lays back and looks back at the harpist, Pythor then the Chosen. 

“I WAS HAPPY ONCE. I WAS HAPPY ONCE. BUT NO MORE AND NEVER AGAIN.”