Part 8: Life in Loridael
Session 33: Into the Loridael
2nd Low Summer, 498 CE
- Ekhart, Revana, Sanglant and Remy traveled back to the outskirts of Dwarfheim.
- They set off to travel to the Loridael, using Sang's Wind Walk ability and their new Delrune's Tiny Travelling Laboratory.
7th Low Summer, 498 CE
- After five days of travel, the party finally arrived outside the Loridael Forest.
- The party had an uneasy feeling of being watch as they entered.
- While outside the forest, Sang went into the Faerealm to check it out.
- The Loridael appeared to be a giant mass of unpassable vines and viscera.
- At the center of the forest, there appeared to be a giant sphere of living vines and plants.
- Revana identified this as where the Enclave was in the physical world, so they determined to travel to the Enclave.
- Revana, feeling connected with her god while inside the forest, attempted to meditate.
- While she couldn't feel a connection to Terra, but she felt a connection to Lunos, the moon.
- Revana dreamed she was on the moon, and saw a forest of grey.
- She followed the song of elves singing, into a deep cave.
- There she saw thousands of elven spirits singing to an empty void, that she perceived to be Lunos.
- She asked the voices where the Fire Spirit was and there response was:
- Bound where the three worlds collide, in the last city of hope.
- Revana guided the party towards the city of Arduin Rudal, knowing they would need the blessing of the Guardian there to be able to travel to the Enclave.
- The journey was difficult, but eventually they made it to Arduin Rudal.
- When the party entered Arduin Rudal, they were met by Faen.
- Faen was a ranger that seemed to be displeased to see humans in the forest.
- He told them they could set up camp on the canopy below, with the other humans.
- After some sneaking, Revana learned that the three humans there were there to make contact with the elves and form an alliance.
- The party, while hanging outside of a concert hall, received an invitation to be tested by the Guardian Rudal that night.
Session 34: Trials of the Guardian
Evening, 7th Low Summer, 498 CE
- Ekhart, Sanglant, and Revana arrived at the canopy floor of Arduin Rudal.
- There they met the three emissaries from Fairwyn;
- Their leader, Dame Ana Heimlech,
- Another knight, Sir Leynard Blackwater,
- and a priest, Brother Saxson.
- The Emissaries also had two other soldiers.
- They learned from the Steward of Rudal, Balagol, that all 8 of them would be participating in the trial together.
- They also learned that Remy would not need to do the trial, as children were automatically granted permission to enter the Loridael.
- They met the Guardian Rudal, who was a massive animated treeant.
- Steward Balagol told them that they would need to complete a full trial, given that they were so powerful.
- The trials purpose was to ensure the safety of the Loridael, and the elven population.
- Guardian Rudal told them before the trail would begin “No lies, no metal.”
- One by one, the Guardian Rudal picked people up and put them into its mouth.
- When it got to one of the soliders, he repeated “no metal.”
- The solider was confused, and after hesitating, Guardian Rudal crushed him to death. Apparently he had been hiding a small knife on his person.
- When it got to Ekhart, Guardian Rudal repeated “no lies,” which caused Ekhart to drop his glamour.
- Upon entering Guardian Rudal, the party found themselves in a small wooden cocoon.
- There appeared to be no entrance or exit.
- There were also several small firefly-looking insects flying around everywhere, though they mostly appeared to be attracted to Ekhart.
- Any time they attempted to cast any magic, the flies around them would Counterspell them.
- The Emissaries appeared to be concerned with Ekhart's demonic appearance, though only Sir Leynard voice his contempt.
- Revana and Dame Ana started looking for an exit together.
- Eventually, the two came across a seam in the wood that opened for them.
- Brother Saxson deduced that they would probably be doing the trial in pairs.
- Ekhart and Brother Saxson left next, followed by Sanglant and Sir Leynard.
- In Revana and Dame Ana's trial, they wondered a forest for a while until they came into a clearing.
- Revana heard the sound of a hurt baby deer.
- She and Ana found it and began to tend to its wounds.
- Ana was able to fashion a needle out of a bone she found, and the two were able to stabilize the deer.
- Revana fashioned a sling for the deer, and took it with them.
- In Ekhart and Brother Saxson's trial, they were wondering through a dense and dark forest.
- After a while they came across and angry brown bear.
- They hesitate for a while, not wanting to hurt the bear.
- Eventually, Ekhart noticed that behind them was a baby bear.
- The two of them quickly and quietly removed themselves from between the mother and the baby.
- They continued on without incident.
- In Sanglant and Sir Leynard's trial, they were also walking through a forest path.
- Leynard raised his concerns with Sanglant about how someone could willingly associate with demons and elves.
- Eventually the two of them came across a large treasure chest.
- They talked for a while about what they should do, but eventually decided to leave the chest unopened.
- After wander through the forest, all 6 of them suddenly found themselves in darkness, where they were each greeted with several shadowy figures and a golden object they were offering.
- Dame Ana saw her two mother's standing, each with Ana's childhood dog, one as a puppy and one fully grown. Ana chose the fully grown dog.
- Revana saw a female elf holding golden baby Revana, and her childhood mentor instructing her as a child. Revana went to her mother, who gave Revana herself as a baby.
- Brother Saxson saw himself, on vision was him killing a baby minotaur, and one him surrounded with flame. He took the fire from himself killing the minotaur.
- Sir Leynard saw himself thrice, one with a golden medal, one a golden sword, and another a golden crown. He took the sword.
- Finally, Sanglant began to see some shadowy woman figure, but his vision appeared to glitch and disappear. After a second, a vision of Lenna, chained and on fire, appeared before him.
- Finally, all six of them appeared together in a giant field.
- They fought several animated treeants.
- Revana gave the deer and baby Rev to Dame Ana, who had no sword, so could not fight.
- Ekhart lit some torches and animated them.
- After a mighty battle, the party was eventually able to destroy the trees.
Session 35: The Circles of Enclave
Evening, 7th Low Summer, 498 CE
- The party, having completed the trials of Guardian Rudal, found themselves back at Arduin Rudal.
- Each of the people were judged by Guardian Rudal and given certain access to the Loridael.
- Dame Ana was given a year's access.
- Brother Saxson was given permanent access.
- Sir Leynard was banned from ever entering the Loridael ever again.
- Revana was given a week's access.
- Ekhart was given 3 days access.
- Sanglant was given permanent access.
- Remy, being a child, is allowed to enter the Loridael as she sees fit.
- With that Sir Leynard left, and Ana and Saxson continued on in the forest towards Mylael Aethel, escorted by a couple elven rangers.
Morning, 8th Low Summer, 498 CE
- The party arrives at the Enclave, the elven capital and Revana's home.
- When they first arrive, Sanglant projected his spirit into the Faerealm, hoping to find the Life Elemental.
- He found himself in a beautiful green meadow, surrounded by flowers.
- He met a spirit that called herself Ezu.
- Sang told Ezu that they were on a journey to gain the blessings of the Elementals to save the world.
- She said that she was willing to help, but wanted some proof.
- Ezu said that if Uun vouched for them, she would help them.
- While Sang was in the spirit realm, Revana reunited with her mentor and leader of the Circle of Moon elves, Elden.
- Elden welcome Revana home, and the two of them talked about why Revana left, and what was happening in the Loridael.
- All of the party, including Elden, entered the Enclave and climbed to the top of the Tower of the Moon.
- There, they all discussed in more details what was happening.
- Elden told them that the elves had created a plan that needed the help of a priest of the church.
- According to Elden, Terra has a sickness in her, and that was the very existence of the Darkness.
- The elves were planning on traveling to the Darkness to destroy the sickness in her.
- After some prodding, Elden confirmed that the Sleeper no longer has contact with Terra.
- Apparently, for the last few hundred years, Terra had been growing more and more erratic in her dealings with the Sleeper.
- The last few Sleepers were beginning to die, and the last proper Sleeper died after a few days.
- So the elves decided to basically put the Sleeper in a dreamless sleep, so that they would be safe from Terra.
- Revana asked to see the Sleeper, and Elden agreed.
- Elden took the party to the very bottom of the Enclave, into the Chamber of Darkness, where the Sleeper was resting.
Session 36: The Dreamless Sleeper
Afternoon, 8th Low Summer, 498 CE
- Revana, Sanglant and Ekhart were in the Chamber of Darkness with Elden and the Sleeper.
- Elden, as a Dreamer, was able to enter the Dreamworld.
- The party asked him to send them them there, which he agreed to.
- After a short, out-of-body experience, the party arrived at in the Dreamworld.
- The place they arrive was very barren, stretching in darkness in all directions though they appear to be walking on a sea of water.
- In the distance, they spied a figure laying on the ground, asleep.
- They moved closer and inspected the body, which Revana confirmed to be Maya, the current Sleeper of the elves.
- Living buried in her chest was a small spirit of some kind.
- It called itself “Hifnos,” and identified itself as a Darkness spirit.
- Ekhart's theories of there being an 8th element were confirmed.
- The party asked Hifnos some questions about who or what it was.
- It said that it was a darkness spirit, which are spirits born with no desire of their own.
- He was told to sleep by the elves, so he lives in the spirit of any elf that comes to the Dreamworld, keeping the Sleeper in a dreamless slumber.
- He also said that if a darkness spirit wanted to destroy the world, it would probably have been told to do so.
- Revana attempted to meditate and reach out to whatever forces she could reach in this place.
- While meditating she felt two forces, one being a force similar to Terra that she had reached out to before.
- The other feeling similar to Terra, but darker.
- She reached out into the Darkness to see what was there, perhaps to find the sickness that the Elves claimed to be infecting Terra.
- While reaching out, she felt her spirit being thrown through the Darkness, being pulled by something unknown to her.
- Suddenly she came upon an elf, a woman who seemed to know Revana by her spirit, and told her she was her mother.
- Revana returned and told the party about the Darkness and her mother.
- Sang suddenly felt a connection to the Darkness through Revana similar to the one he had with the Faerealm through Ekhart.
- The party was pulled back from the Dreamworld by Elden, where Revana asked about her mother.
- Elden told them that he would tell them everything.
- They left the Chamber of Dreams and returned to the Tower of the Moon.
- The party began to ask Elden about Revana's mother.
- Elden revealed that he was Revana's father, and that he and Revana's mother, Nya.
- Nya had a plan to use a Darkness Spirit (or Forest Spirit as the elves called them) to travel directly to Terra.
- When the other elves found out her plan, but before they could do anything about her, Nya stole a forest spirit from the Reliquary, and escaped.
- Elden decided to not tell Rev about her mother and raise her as his pupil.
- The party also asked about the nature of the Darkness Spirits.
- Elden didn't seem to have any information about what the Darkness was or what Darkness spirits were.
- He said that all the animated trees of the Loridael had Forest Spirits inside them.
- The Forest Spirits were kept by the Circle of the Land druids, in a place called the Reliquary.
Session 37: The Reliquary
Evening, 8th Low Summer, 498 CE
- Before heading to bed, the party decided to head to the Faerealm to visit Ezu, the Life Elemental.
- With Elden as a guide, they return to the base of the Enclave.
- Sang sends the party into the Faerealm.
- Now in the Faerealm, the party is surrounded by a familiar grove, and are greeted by Ezu.
- Ezu tells them she would be happy to make them her, so long as she heard from Uun that they were telling the truth.
- Uun speaks to Ezu for a bit, corroborating their story.
- While they talk, Ezu pets Uun, which seems to electrify his fur.
- After the conversation with Uun, Ezu agrees to make Revana her champion.
- Revana eventually reluctantly agrees, sensing something was wrong about the exchange.
- Afterwards, the party noticed that something appeared to be wrong with Uun, as he wasn't moving.
- When pressed for answers, Ezu demanded that the party leave her grove at once.
- When they declined, demanding answers, they began to fight.
- After a short and bloody conflict, the party retreated back to Terrenia.
- When they inspected Uun to see if he was okay, some kind of lightning spirit escaped Uun's body.
- The Spirit then proceeded to fly into the sky above the Loridael.
- After regaining consciousness, Uun told them that that must have not really been Ezu.
- Ezu doesn't have the power of lightning.
- The party and Elden then traveled back to the Tower of the Moon, to sleep and regroup.
- As they were traveling back to the Tower, they saw Faen, the Ranger of Arduin Rudal who had brought them to the Enclave.
- He mentioned that he thought that something was with the Guardian Rudal, thinking that Revana having such a short time in the Loridael and the priest, Brother Saxson, being given unlimited access to the forest to be conspicuous.
- He suspected someone has switched the Guardian Rudal for another Forest Spirit, so he wanted to check out the Reliquary.
- Unfortunately, the current head of the Circle of the Land, Dreamer Peyho, has forbidden anyone from entering the Reliquary while he was off meeting Brother Saxson and Dame Ana in Mylael Aethel.
- The party offered to help sneak into the Reliquary to get to the bottom of what is happening in the Loridael, which he agreed to.
- The party, using Sanglant's Windwalk, stealthed their way past the guards and through the door, into the Reliquary.
- Inside, there was a large room with several lumbering treants milling about.
- The party reformed on the other side, and proceeded to fight the treants.
Session 38: Ezu, the Life Elemental
Evening, 8th Low Summer, 498 CE
- Ekhart, Sanglant, Revana, Remy and Faen entered the Inner Sanctum of the Reliquary.
- Inside, they found several large, obsidian crystals resting on pedestals.
- Each of the pedestals has a different name written on it, with different names of demons on them.
- On one they found “The Guardian Rudal,” which Faen takes.
- On another, they found “Ezu, the Deceiver,” which the party takes as well.
- Ekhart noticed that while all the spirits inside the obsidian crystals appeared really strong, the Ezu one seemed really weak comparatively.
- Using Sang's Wind Walk, they escaped the reliquary the way they entered.
- While discussing the spirits and the faerealm, Faen mentioned that forest spirits come from the Dark Forest.
- Faen also told them that Rangers are taught the way through the Loridael to the Dark Forest.
- After some talking, the party realized that their “Faerealm” is the same as the elves' “Dark Forest.”
- The party asked Faen to take them to the Dark Forest, to see it themselves.
Night, 8th Low Summer, 498 CE
- After a several hours' long walk through the forest, the party eventually found themselves in the Faerealm.
- The Faerealm at the Loridael, however, looked very sick compared to the rest of the Faerealm.
- There were large, pod like plants growing everywhere, and bramble and thorny vines growing in every direction.
- The party investigated one such pod which appears dead.
- When they looked inside, they found the grove of the creature they had encountered before.
- The party eventually decided to release the spirit known as “Ezu” from its obsidian crystal prison.
- They met the real Ezu.
- Ezu explained to the party that she had been accidentally kidnapped by a Ranger many years ago.
- She mentioned that something about the Faerealm was wrong, as she was the only Life spirit left.
- Apparently, if Ezu died there would be no more Life spirits on Terrenia, so she would have to bind her spirit to one of the party members.
- Sanglant offered his spirit, and Ezu bound herself to him. She also made him her champion.
- The party decided that they would take the Guardian Rudal back to Arduin Rudal, confront Balagol, and restore the First Guardian of Loridael.
Morning, 9th Low Summer, 498 CE
- The party left the Enclave, leaving Elden to deal with the other Dreamers.
- They left him a few pages of the Twinned Book so that they could communicate with him.
Evening, 9th Low Summer, 498 CE
- The party arrived in Arduin Rudal.
- Revana and Faen confronted Balagol about the Guardian Rudal being a fake.
- Balagol appeared to have no idea of the deception, and the three of them returned Guardian Rudal to his proper place.
- The party then decided to leave for Hallowfel, where they believed the Elemental of Light to be.
- Using Sanglant's Wind Walk ability, they left for Hallowfel.
Afternoon, 12th Low Summer, 498 CE
- After three days of travel, they arrived a few hours outside of Hallowfel.
- During their travels, they had noticed the entire area surrounded by a giant ball of light in the Faerealm.
- The party entered the Faerealm to investigate, and were greeting by an extremely hot and bright ball of light.
- They attempts to cross the barrier, and when they did they all appeared to be back in the physical plane.
- Sang, not thinking they were really in the physical plane attempted to bring every back.
- When he did, they traveled between worlds but it looked exactly the same.
- After a bit of sleuthing, the party noticed that some of them were in the Faerealm and some of them were in the physical realm.
- There appeared to be doppelgangers in their place where the real ones were gone!