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The party, faced with the possibility of battling a lich without resting, the party made a bold decision to return to their rooms and sleep. However, Francois was expected in the Great Hall of Tailors for a night of meditation. He sat by himself, contemplating all of the nuances of gentlemanly attire, until dawn came. He was brought the Cloak of Many Fabrics and walked through the city to the Great Hall of Haberdashers. There, he knelt before Lord Corrivis Estera, a former tailor to the emperor, and was knighted in the Most Ancient and Honorable Order of the Fifth Profession. Once the ceremony and greeting were completed, he returned to his comrades to go kill a lich. This lich had a beautiful room set behind the stone carvings on the cliffs above the Lower City.
Adelisa Mavor was once an adviser of some kind to the Emperor of Borden. This was in a time when they would have sent expeditions into the Wild Lands, so long before the rebellion that broke apart the empire. It seems her brother was a Centurion, and was happy to go on such an expedition, and he asked Adelisa to watch out for his family. It appears she has been doing this for hundreds of years, though clearly they do not know who she is. She was also very concerned with her appearance, perhaps because of vanity, and perhaps because appearing as a beautiful young woman makes it easier to get around a city. She was clearly expecting the party to challenge her, but she believed she could handle them... and she was wrong.
Sorting through documents after defeating her, the party learned that their enemy was clearly the Black Coven, a group of evil wizards, some of which are liches. Their leader is Brenkis Renill, and there was another letter from someone named Albirro. Finally, they learned her soul was probably with her "nephew" that they met near Grondeive.
Due to remarkable diplomacy skills, traveling to Grondeive and crushing the phylactery was a trivial task... but first, they would witness remarkable sacrifice. Priests of Yanok had been coming into the city for days, and 101 of them gathered at a hill just south of Borden. Some others had come to witness their ceremony, but it was clear the priests were doing this rite because they felt it was necessary, not because they wanted to make a spectacle. The first 100 formed a circle, and the last stood in the middle. He explained that the very nature of Death was failing. Clearly this meant that Yanok was under attack in some way, and they must join with their god to help him and return order to Death. They would follow the setting sun into the next world... her uttered the prayers as each man turned and stabbed the man next to him in the back. It seemed a faint glimmer of green light streaked off towards the sun as it dipped below the horizon. The priest in the circle wept as the onlookers began making their way home in silence.
With one quest behind them, one enemy destroyed, it was a dream that would send them on their next journey. It was a horrible dream, filled with unclear, flashing images of suffering and despair. However, there was one brief moment of clarity, showing Irminsul. They took this to be a summons, and they went with great speed to see Irminsul. With fast horses, they made the journey in just 20 days.
Once there, they found wraiths and skeletons trying to get into the grove, but they seemed restricted by a sort of barrier. Rather than attack, the party just rushed through. They spoke with half-elven druid named Pellora, the leader of the worshipers here, before going to speak with Geismar. The dryad gave them each another restorative leaf, and then she explained a great deal.
The liches of the Black Coven have taken Lontrora’El, a Spirit of Abril, on Fey Isle. She is suffering, and she is likely the one who sent the dream to them. The liches have created a impenetrable storm around the isle, and no ship has been able to penetrate it. However, Geismar believes that there is a path below the Padraic Sea from the Temple of the Font (on the similarly names Isle of the Font). The magic of Abril flows from deep below the surface and mostly exits through Fey Isle, but some also through the Font. Mortals may worship all of Abril from the Font since they are not permitted on Fey Isle. However, it is this magic of Abril that has been corrupted, and it is very concentrated at Fey Isle and the Font. The plague may be powerful there, but more likely there is great madness. The party would not survive exposure to the corrupted Font, and those that were at the Font are likely insane. She offered a suggestion - the berries of Ogdivin, the Spirit Tree. It is an elder tree, and it is near Baxton's Peak southeast of Tyrhaven. Also... there is a guardian, who must be defeated.
The situation explained, the party set off without much complaint. The mystery was gone, and now they knew what they had to do to save Abril.
The road was long, and every village, town, and city had their own method of dealing with the Red Plague and the dead. It was a sad journey, but at least it was quickly. They crossed the moors and went into the high mountains of Tyr. They made it to Tyrhaven, a city mostly of dwarves, that sat upon the Flamesong Sea. The Flamesong seemed to be a reference to the sounds the lava makes as it flows into the sea. Still, they had little time for exploring the city, and instead set off for Baxton's Peak.
On the south side of Baxton's Peak they saw a mist covered lake, and they could see tree tops in the middle to indicate there was an island. There was a boat without oars in the water by the shore. With another bold decision, they all got into the boat... and it moved itself through the mist. Nearly constant lightning struck from the mist, but it was deflected and dissipated on an invisible barrier around the boat.
The boat arrived at a shore, and the party disembarked into a clearing. A humanoid shape stepped from the trees and approaches. Much like Jonril, it appeared to be part of the forest, and part man. He had green, barkish skin, and branches and leaves were entwined with his body. His hair and beard appeared to be like a willow tree. He seemed power, standing 7 feet tall. He carried sword of interlaced silver and gold, and where the hilt met the crossguard, there were large gems in blue, green, red, and yellow. The sword sparked around him in those colors. He also carried a wooden shield encrusted with diamonds in the shape of a tree (Elder tree).
He spoke with rich baritone voice. “I am the Er’Dru’Lat, Guardian of the Spirit Tree. You have come to challenge me. Do not be afraid. You will either defeat me, or you will die. The simplicity is beautiful... You may begin now.”
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Do the asparagus look threatening?
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