Location: Between New Vasselheim and Old Vasselheim
Date: Miresen, 20 Brussendar 845 PD, the day of the Elvendawn/Midsummer holiday, 5 years since the party’s disappearance from Whitestone (calendar of Exandria)
Occasion: The group arrives back in the “real” timeline, in a brand new location with actual people in it.
Additional/Alternative Writeup: Rinn’s player: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17TXTD27fjsUprMJn8tfQCM-ePCj9Guvx1hDJIZ-mZ4s/edit#
Party Members:
- Bob the Therapist – changeling warlock with a couch for a familiar
- Jeremiah Callows – human cleric of Erathis
- Rinn – half-elf sorcerer/rogue — NEW GUY!
- Stubby – half-elf artificer
- Tāmerai – gnome bard
- Tunk – bugbear monk
Outtro from previous session: A booming, authoritative voice [Newt Boatman] demands, “All right, people! Who the hell are you? How the hell did you get here?”
Opening teaser:
High summer, the day of the Elvendawn/Midsummer holiday. After rescuing a lost child from the docks, a young half-elf named Rinn has been rewarded with a day off and a whole bunch of bread to share with his coworkers. One such coworker is Vladesoc “Vlad” Zorjurn, a young silver dragonborn.
Vladesoc Zorjurn: It’s not a dream! My ancestors told me I have to be here at this time! I need just one person, I’ll pay for them myself!
Otel Tasithar notices Rinn and offers him a day’s pay to go into the Wildlands with Vlad. Vlad hitches up his wagon, “Let’s go.”
The Arrival
A small group of guards cower behind rock, staring into the open field towards a barren (possibly petrified?) tree. A human guard that Rinn knows stands talking to five strangers, dressed… not locally.
“How the hell did you get here?” asks the guard. The party don’t explain, exactly, but they do indicate that they’re not sure either, and magic was involved, and where are they, and what year is it?
Vlad, recognizes Cembiten. They hug; they’re cousins.
Vlad and Cem speak in Draconic about going to a dragonborn enclave near what used to be Pyrah. Cembiten never thought he’d live through the transport. Vlad excitedly urges “Uncle Cemmy” to return home with him, because there is a refugee camp of dragonborn nearby. Cembiten tells Vlad, “But I must bring my acolyte,” and gestures at Jeremiah. “I have given him my book! He knows all of our history. He is the first.” Jeremiah seems agreeable, because “home” doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon. “Home,” Cem says, “is the people you travel with.” Everyone takes a moment to look around at those they have, in fact, been traveling with. Some seem uneasy.
Jeremiah: I left war. I didn’t want to be a part of it. Earlier, or an hour ago, or five years ago… I put my hands on someone and did more harm to their body than I’ve ever done to anyone before, and if I go in that direction I think I’m going to get better at it. So I need to go this way [instead].
The guard suddenly stands to attention, salutes no one at all, and speaks with great and nervous formality to no one who’s present. “This is Lieutenant Newt Boatman. I’m out in the Fourth. What? … I… Yes, ma’am.” His hand shakes as it comes down. Vlad and Cembiten are now permitted to travel together to the refugee camp of dragonborn, if the rest of party will accompany Lieutenant Boatman to New Vasselheim. The Empress wants to see the party.
The party separate, but not before singing a farewell song (“A Health to the Company,” real-life traditional piece, arranged by Owain Phyfe of blessed memory) to Jeremiah and Cembiten that they learned from Scanlan back in Whitestone. It’s also for Flora, whom they didn’t know well but liked very much for the two days that they spent in her company, and whose departure was not something they expected or could prepare for.
Lieutenant Boatman addresses a young guard holding a standard (gonfalon) in one hand, bearing a crest that catches Stubby’s attention, though the rest don’t know why initially. “Phrank. I need you to take these,” he pauses, and one can almost see the word weirdos forcibly being removed from his mouth before it can be uttered, “people to the Empress.” Phrank hands off the gonfalon to another guard and eagerly, cheerfully, snaps to duty. Still wet behind the ears and super excited to be at his first real, live, actual job, delighted to be making minimum wage, Phrank seems made entirely of elbows, knees, and enthusiasm.
Boatman suggests bringing someone else with him, someone who’d like a bit of work. He gives a head-jerk towards the half-elf loitering nearby. “Rinn! I see you’ve got the wagon today. Fancy a bit of work? You’ll get a day’s pay for taking this lot to the castle.” Having no objection to a day’s work and a day’s pay, Rinn shrugs — which soon becomes obvious as a rather large part of his working vocabulary — and accepts. The group pile into the wagon. Phrank gleefully sits up front with Rinn, but turns around to natter at the travelers the entire way. He asks where everyone’s from. Rather than answer, Tāmarai suggests, “We have all been talking with one another about ourselves for several days. I am more interested to learn about yourself.” Phrank is overjoyed at being asked about himself, and fills their ears during the ride into New Vasselheim. He’s super enthusiastic about his brand new job and about taking the party to the Empress, because he’s never met her. But she saved everyone, he says not quite worshipfully (but not far enough from worshipfully to relax anyone, either), organizing everyone together to rebuild the city and save people.
As Phrank prattles away, Stubby uses Message to inform everyone that Phrank’s gonfalon featured a crest reminiscent of the Briarwoods’ crest. Most of the party heard of the Briarwoods at dinner in Whitestone, so they are now properly wary and on edge.
Rinn is… not forthcoming. And the accent in which he’s not forthcoming is Zemnian. But his look is very cohesive. Nothing doesn’t “fit.” There are no anomalies in his appearance. He’s not wearing a costume, he’s dressed for his actual life.
Phrank gives the party the DL on the One Day War when the dissenters were going to rise up and fight the powerful religious faction. As a part of that day, though perhaps the reasons aren’t necessarily well known, the Platinum Bastion blew right up. Who could ever have realized that having that many magic items all in the same building would ever cause a problem?? There’s no more saltpeter on Issylra. He also shares the local gesture of greeting. You wave, but you’re only supposed to hold up 3 fingers, like hiding that you have all five (in the Viktor way, not the Girl Scout way). This was the dissenters’ symbol. Phrank’s father was a dissenter and didn’t survive the explosion, but he and his mother got out alive.
On the path, the group see someone standing by a barren tree. Druidy look. Male. Dark colors, a little charred-looking. He greets them. “Ho there, what brings you through the lands today?” Rinn explains that the guards found strangers and he’s bringing them in. “Ah. Well, greetings from… I can’t really say from Pyrah now. Well, kaitiyake.”
[Secretly, Stubby messages the druid and says her Aunt Keyleth knows him. He messages back excitedly, “Are you from Whitestone? I will make sure the Tempest hears of this.”] The druid guy bows to Stubby.
The rest of the journey is pretty uneventful. Rinn takes the wagon south and east over farmland, then through primordial, dangerous feeling woods. Like rotten magic. Past the woods and into farmlands, it starts looking like some idyllic land. Three-finger waves of people who see us going by. It’s chilly here, but not cold, exactly, and the morning is getting on by the time they crest the last hill and get their first look at New Vasselheim.
New Vasselheim is a very young city, but already overflowing from its walls. What was once probably a small coastal fishing village has been appropriated and rebranded. Phrank points out various neighborhoods excitedly (and also places where he’s personally been, places that sell this or that, the place where he knows someone. Sails on the horizon show them where the sea is, even before it’s visible. Rinn drives us through the Snow Water District and towards the city walls, where he answers the guard’s queries. The guard seems to know Rinn’s name and also Phrank’s. In fact, they seem to have been notified already that “Empress Briarwood requested that Shrike accompany them,” and offers a guide. Rinn Shrike doesn’t need a guide. He knows like seventeen ways to get there, not that the party know this yet.
They leave the cart here with the guard, who will deliver it back to the Slayer’s Take, and walk towards the palace. Phrank’s duties with the party complete, he is ordered to the nearest guardhouse for KP duty. During the walk to the palace, no one gets itchy about the imp on Bob’s shoulder. This is a bit of a surprise to those of the party who have heard of Vasselheim’s aversion to all things arcane. (Tāmarai is, however, clueless.)
The Snow Water District bleeds into the Arch District, the ritzy schitzy part of town. Buildings in the Arch are built unlike those of Tal’Dorei, built to withstand worse weather. Close to Whitestone construction in sturdiness at least, but more so. Many appear to be government buildings. Then, smaller walls, and the least ostentatious castle ever. Three stories. This honestly does seem like someone who literally wants to be with, and among, the people they govern. The roads are well paved. There are poor and some beggars, but it looks like a beautiful city sprung up overnight with the people in mind.
The Palace Guard appears to be waiting for the party. “Ah, Master Shrike, this way.” Rinn has no idea who he is. Sus. Rinn shrugs and motions to the party, who follow.
Dreadlocked drow. “I am Ryo Yelmoira, Master of Secrets. Spymaster. Your names are Bob, Tunk, Stubby, and Tāmarai, correct?” Yes. “And you are come from Draconia?” Yes. “The Empress is willing to see you now. Please follow me.” Doors open — 2 guards standing on other side. Not magic, but these doors are silent. Long, thin room lined with benches. Guards before the dais are well armored, but the armor is bland and unremarkable, not flashy and uniformy. Rinn and Tunk notice that there are also people hidden elsewhere in the room, also protectors.
The Empress is a human-appearing woman with jet-black hair, pale skin, and simple studded leather armor worn beneath mages’ robes. Very high quality, but not ostentatious. Think “navy dress suit, single strand of pearls.” She has a semi-Dwendalian accent which she has taken pains, apparently, to smother, and there are little signs on her person that the magics she has studied most are likely to be abjuration-based; in fact, she may have studied at the Soltryce Academy.
A halfling near her is listening to her and nodding a lot. “We will complete this later, Gavin.” She dismisses him and he leaves. She turns to the party with what appears an honest smile, though not quite reaching her eyes. “This is quite the day.” She steps off the dais, gesturing to the guards not to worry. Empress Lydia Briarwood. She explains teleportation may not be safe because we might get splinched, and they are out of airships at the moment. They have boats… Do they party have parents that should be contacted? All say no.
She lightly mentions that Xhorhas won the war and they have a new government now, much to Tāmarai’s internal consternation, then sends the party off to a hotel, out of her own pocket. Or the taxpayers’ pockets; that’s not clear. She talks about not wanting Issylra and Vasselheim to be so insular and unhelpful to other nations as they were before. “We are one world, together.” Tāmarai’s is reminded, and says aloud, “One grain of rice helps his brothers fill the bowl.” The Empress likes that saying and will be using it.
Rinn is conscripted to guide the party to lodgings and food, and handed some money for the task. He seems not to mind too much; it’s nice to be paid. Ryo directs Rinn to take the group to the empty Tal’Dorei Embassy. He says he’ll tell Margot and Otel about Rinn’s assignment, on the way out of the castle. [ASK DUNGEONMASTER FOR DESCRIPTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD. Short answer: Wonky architecture, each culture built own building, but also super clean like Victoria, BC; embassy block is near the big religious quarter, also mishmoshy, feels like “old city that built as they believed.” Higgledy-piggledy streets in religious sector in back, really Eins Zwei, Eins Zwei in government buildings in front.]
Flags: Clovis Concord, Dwendalian Empire, Xhorhas, Marquet, and an empty flagpole. Also, a blue flag, familiar to Tunk (Cobalt Soul), and that one seems to be the most populated house on the street, with people with robes similar to Tunk’s going in and out or congregating in twos and threes outside. (No other bugbears so far, though. Bugbears are pretty thin on the ground in Vasselheim. Thin in the air. Generally, just all-around, pretty trim.) Excitedly, Tunk trots off to talk to his Cobalt people.
Take your meds.
Hydrate.
Don’t forget to love each other.
Is it Game Day yet?