The year is 1374 DR. Sixteen years have passed since the Time of Troubles, when the gods were made humble, and forced to wander the Realms as mortals. With the ascension of the mad god Cyric, Prince of Lies, and the recent return of the tyrant god Bane, Lord of Darkness, the future of Faerûn seems increasingly uncertain. It falls to bold individuals who possess an abundance of cunning, might, and determination to shape the future... should they be up to the challenge.The terrain guides you downwards, into the misty valley at the furthest depths of the Silverwood. Here, the thick canopy squelches the sun's last light, although the shadows are no enemies of yours. The heart of the forest is illuminated by numerous motes of fire, carrying the aromas of cooked meals out into the wilderness. This must be where the followers of Mielikki as well as the Eilistraeans have made camp, assuming that you did not arrive here before Luaue and the others. The journey was not as uneventful as you had hoped, but you are here. What is first on the agenda?>Before anything else, I should seek out Luaue, and share with her the news of recent developments.>It has been quite some time since Willow and I have seen one another. She and I could 'shoot at the breeze,' as the surface dwellers say.>I can chat as much as I'd like come morning. My feet ache, and I am ready to retire for the day.
>>5996380Previous Adventures: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Forgotten+Realms+Adventures The Rules™: https://pastebin.com/VRQHDHSr Jezyrene's Abilities: https://pastebin.com/CbbK1ygQ
>>5996380>Before anything else, I should seek out Luaue, and share with her the news of recent developments.She should know we're hunted.
>>5996380>Before anything else, I should seek out Luaue and Willow, and share with them the news of recent developments.Better to do it once than to repeat ourselves. Also, we should mention the automaton and see if Willow and her followers might be able to brew a small batch of Pass Without Trace potions when we leave for Everlund.
>>5996380>>Before anything else, I should seek out Luaue, and share with her the news of recent developments.
>>5996380>Before anything else, I should seek out Luaue and Willow, and share with them the news of recent developments.What >>5996423 and >>5996578
Made a guess as to what Amaranth's secret is in the previous thread, one barely more probable than the other. Let me know how far off I am there.>>5996756
>>5996761>>5996756An great guess. But neither Lael nor Ilanis are seers. Some readers may recall that insight into the future is a trait common among all those of Cywir descent, disqualifying both of them from being his biological children. Although, it could be said that he is more of a father to them than Korfel was. And sadly, Ilanis is a mere mortal.>>5996760Another excellent guess. But as Arara explained, she and Amaranth did ultimately kill all of their captors, at least to their knowledge. I don't think Jezyrene would forget either of them easily knowing that they defeated several dozen drow warriors in a fight.
>>5996801I'm going with my original guess, then: The captured elves were sexually-assaulted by the dark elves
>>5996578+1 if possible
>>5996578Supporting
Vote closed.>>5996806A reasonable conclusion. Thankfully, this is not the case.>>5996823This response in particular is very interesting to me, because it would recontextualize a lot. But the direction is off.Since a fortune point would be awarded on a correct guess, I will give a hint for the determined theorists. Ilanis gave the biggest clue in Volume IV, when the topic of the council was raised. She isn't a liar, but neither is she a completely reliable source of information.
>>5997182Hm. I'll think on this... In the meantime, new Jez art just dropped, courtesy of Olympus QM and the Queen of /QST/ tournament!
>>5997182>"Well, yeah. They used to adventure together with my dad. Hey, now that I think about it, they were really good friends!" An interesting choice of words. You decide to inquire further. "Were?" You raise an eyebrow. "No more?" Ilanis places her hands on her forehead, both eyes wide as though she's had a revelation. "Huh. I guess they stopped talking to each other a long time ago? Even way before my father went missing...">The pieces are falling into place. Arara and Amaranth used to ply the adventurer's trade, together with Ilanis' father Korfel, and perhaps a few others. Something happened between the two of them that soured relations, and they have not been on speaking terms since. The question then is, just what was it that caused the schism between the two?The schism probably involves whatever happened to Korfel... And perhaps his disappearance is part of the reason for Amaranth's furtiveness. Were they involved in the disappearance? or in covering up some ignoble or tragic reason for his being dead or gone?
>>6003940You're getting much closer. But Korfel is not a part of this equation.Anyways, update in a few hours.
>>6003940Then it has to do something with either of Korfel’s kids… perhaps him leaving had something to do with the birth of Ilanis or Lael.Is one of them a bastard? Did Korfel have one of them out of wedlock through an affair? Perhaps the ill fated adventuring team Amaranth and Arara also had either Ilanis’ or Lael’s mother in it, and she died… or perhaps Arara took such an interest in being a surrogate mother is because her sister was Ilanis’ actual mother.
>>5996423>>5996578>>5996615>>5996619>>5996832>>5996952Wending through the woodland, you enter the camp, which is nestled inside the clearing once ruled by the Beastlord Malar. Long gone is the rancid stink of dried blood and the rich odor of beasts that once polluted this place, just as the myriad remains left in the wake of the werebeasts are markedly absent. A layer of short grass and the pleasant aroma of surface flora have taken their place. Willow spoke of restoring a sort of 'balance' to this land, and the primal instincts of the ancient Ilythiiri that you harbor in the deepest recesses of your brain assure you that this is how things ought to be.As you make your way through the camp, you are regarded with respectful nods from the familiar faces of the few older Eilistraeans, who busy themselves with tending fires and preparing meals. You suppose that they did carry enough supplies with them to last a tenday or two. At the edge of the camp are the children, all sitting in a misshapen half-circle facing Luaue, who is joined by the very last person you wish to see right now - Lael Lathalas."Sister?" Asks the half-breed priestess, who requires a moment to confirm your identity now that you are marked by Sune. Grinning, she throws her arms around you, causing you to cringe in response. "What news of Everlund's council? Have they agreed to shelter us?" She glances over her shoulder as Lael speaks an incantation that produces a sphere of green flame between his hands, which he shapes into forms that resemble various creatures for the children's amusement. "The Mielikkians have been very kind, but they cannot provide for all of us. Most of their time is spent trying to restore the forest, as well."
>>6004855"Not yet, but I dealt with the worst ones on the council," you mention vaguely, an answer that prompts Luaue to raise a curious eyebrow. "What is he doing here?" You spit, gesturing at Lael. "'HE' was sent by the High Sorcerer to assess the situation with the dark elves after recent events, and report back to the council. 'HE' is also here to collect one of these children as tribute," states the apprentice, who saunters over to you.Luaue gently elbows Lael in the ribs, causing him to recoil back in pain. "What 'HE' means is that 'HE' is searching for an apprentice of his own," explains the priestess as she lowers her voice. "The truth is, apprenticing under a mage is a chance for one of the little ones to have a better life. Lael is..." she pauses, weighing her next words. "... eccentric, but he did play a part in our rescue, in the end.""That I did, and my selfless deeds are still yet to be rewarded," he interjects, provoking another appropriately forceful elbow jab from Luaue. "Ah! Cyric's blood woman, cut that out!" Shouts the apprentice. She huffs in response. "Come with me," you command, urging the priestess to follow in your direction. "Sis-" she clears her throat. "Sindiira, I can't. I need to be here with the children while the others finish their chores for the evening.""I can watch them. What's the worst that could happen?" Queries Lael innocuously. Both you and the priestess exchange knowing looks and shake your heads in unison, an act which leaves him visibly ruffled. Clearing his throat, he begins to address you with faux indignation. "Oh, I see how it is! No good deed goes unpunished! Even after everything I did for you-""Fine, fine!" Cries Luaue, her words resounding throughout the forest valley. "Just... just stop," she sighs, defeated. The mage boy nods to himself contentedly.
>>6004860The two of you find Willow tending to the Malar's altar. Once naught but a large flat rock caked in blood upon which the severed ears of a hundred or more of your people rested as tribute to the Beastlord, it has been converted to serve the designs of the High Ranger's forest goddess. The stone is now shattered, with a mighty oak tree shooting up from the ground beneath it. Gone is the blood, and with it the ears of the dead Ilythiiri. The surrounding stones, once resembling a feral beast's jagged teeth, have been completely overcome by a some leafy climbing plant that appears to behave in the same manner as cave moss."Well hey," hums the ranger as you approach her. "Been a long time, hasn't it, Sindi? Really feelin' the new look, by the way." You nod vigorously. By the metric of a long-lived Ilythiiri, it may as well have been only a day or two since you last met. Yet between coming face-to-face with the orc warlord and his army and putting an end to Tenpenny's tenure as Master of Guilds, it feels as though it has been an eternity since you last met."I think Sindiira here wants to speak with both of us," explains Luaue, who gives you a puzzled look. "She... wasn't very clear about her intentions." The ranger snickers, giving you a friendly clap on the shoulder. Ordinarily you would have a hostile reaction to such a gesture, but you are willing to permit it for a proven companion. "Yeah, that's her alright. So whatcha got cookin' lady?" Asks Willow.You may choose no more than three.>Luaue has already been informed that the most problematic council members have been dealt with, but I would still provide them with all of the details of my exploits.>Let us say that, hypothetically, I am theoretically being tracked by some imagined pursuer. Could they possibly provide me with a means of evading such a hunter?>It has been at least a tenday since I have seen either of them. What have they been doing in the meantime?>That apprentice boy is uniquely awful, and I feel the need to complain vigorously about him to someone else.>What became of Talassysnre, and the blade Nelgetha? Can Luaue wield it?>[Write-in.]
I fell asleep at my keyboard. Whoops.>>6004107Getting colder there, chief. It's not Korfel, or either of his children.
>>6004869>Luaue has already been informed that the most problematic council members have been dealt with, but I would still provide them with all of the details of my exploits.>What became of Talassysnre, and the blade Nelgetha? Can Luaue wield it?>Let us say that, hypothetically, I am theoretically being tracked by some imagined pursuer. Could they possibly provide me with a means of evading such a hunter?
>>6004869>Luaue has already been informed that the most problematic council members have been dealt with, but I would still provide them with all of the details of my exploits.>It has been at least a tenday since I have seen either of them. What have they been doing in the meantime? I would hope it involve hitting Lael every so often with various limbs and implements.>Let us say that, hypothetically, I am theoretically being tracked by some imagined pursuer. Could they possibly provide me with a means of evading such a hunter?Actually, we completely forgot to use our magic acorn. We should ask Willow later about talking to some animals about the construct.
>>6004869>Luaue has already been informed that the most problematic council members have been dealt with, but I would still provide them with all of the details of my exploits.>Let us say that, hypothetically, I am theoretically being tracked by some imagined pursuer. Could they possibly provide me with a means of evading such a hunter?Both important, though perhaps we should lead with the iminent threar from the robot dog.>>6004871Did Arara do something awful, perhaps committing an inarhuably evil act against their dark elf tormentors, causing Amaranth to reject her as a paramour? Could explain his complciated feelings around her, and his reactions to Jezyrene could involve a desire to put things right or make up for his complicity in an atrocity...
>>6005026If he was familiar with the Eilistraean faith, perhaps some of them helped their escape but ended up being caught in a spell’s blast radius from Arara when she saw who was helping her?
>>6005026>Did Arara do something awful, perhaps committing an inarhuably evil act against their dark elf tormentors, causing Amaranth to reject her as a paramour?This is close enough. Enjoy your fortune point, anon.
>>6005103Oh shit, Arara, what did you do??
>>6004869>>Luaue has already been informed that the most problematic council members have been dealt with, but I would still provide them with all of the details of my exploits.>>It has been at least a tenday since I have seen either of them. What have they been doing in the meantime? I would hope it involve hitting Lael every so often with various limbs and implements.>>Let us say that, hypothetically, I am theoretically being tracked by some imagined pursuer. Could they possibly provide me with a means of evading such a hunter?
>>6004869>Let us say that, hypothetically, I am theoretically being tracked by some imagined pursuer. Could they possibly provide me with a means of evading such a hunter?>It has been at least a tenday since I have seen either of them. What have they been doing in the meantime?>What became of Talassysnre, and the blade Nelgetha? Can Luaue wield it?
Vote closed.
