Session 25: The Speaking Circle

Altani, Qara, and Ordugher

Summary

Fankiang Camp

Khan Borcha

Glenn's blade split the shambling mound in twain after it swallowed him whole. The party doused burning tents with sewage-water sieved through twinned prestidigitation, then flew south to black pennants and Fankiang outriders: grief-stricken Altani Wolf-Arrow, weaselly Qara Sarn, and disturbed sage Ordugher Ash-Smoke. Diedric's elemental water gift and Octavius's phrase--"Laash, sister-born of Borcha. His name walks with us"--bought entry to the Speaking Circle.

Three days in the flap-less tent: Altani sought blood-debt; Qara admitted he'd sell them dead if he could; Ordugher sought lost truth. That night, visions--a bored undead githyanki queen, Kissethkashan shattering the Grove of Stars, Uchu's eyes turning red, B'ian Ch'k Ch'k shirtess, and sahuagin at a darksteel altar. Qara warned of Hubadai's strangling tolls; Octavius peered into his mind and glimpsed a twenty-year-old murder.

Terms struck--seven years' Golden Way rights, joint rites--when horns announced Khan Borcha fleeing undead pouring from the Lake of Mists. The party dove toward Octavius's vision-cavern, surfacing in a purple-stone chamber with faded script: "Lord Artificer... the unbeholden are numbered."

XP Award

• 650 XP for defeating the sahuagin and shambling mound.
• 1 XP for, uh, trying to fix the farm post-battle
• 500 XP for successfully entering the Speaking Circle
• The Rule of Three: 333 XP for affirming this planar truth by experiencing three speakers over three days
• 1200 XP for very successful negotation of terms with the Fankiang tribe
• 700 XP for gathering critical intelligence from Ordugher's visions
• Total: 3384 XP
• Current XP: 41913 XP -> 45297 XP (Level 8)
• (Required for next level: 48000 XP)

Things That Happened

Encounter: Blood Harvest, Continued

• Date: 25th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), early morning, 1372 DR
• Highlights:
  • Octavius hurling a boulder at the shambling mound.
  • A combo of Guiding Bolts from Lilia and Diedric.
  • Octavius machine-gunning magic missiles.
  • Glenn being consumed by, and later escaping, the shambling mound's torso.
  • Glenn slicing the mound in twain.
  • Octavius recalling, twenty minutes later, that he could change the damage type of spells with his metamagic studies.

Faerûn's Best Fire Brigade ("What in the Hells happened here?")

• The party then proceeded to fill their Bag of Holding with water and to bombard the burning tents with sewage sludge.
• Octavius and Lilia jointly created a sieve out of twinned pretisdigitation spells, cleansing the sludge as it exited the bag.
• Significant time was spent cleaning their mess while Glenn joyfully dug graves with his newly-identified dwarven shovel of digging.
• Glenn strapped more weapons to himself, including the Kith'rak's Greatsword Psi-Blade.
• After some argument about their burial traditions, they left the graves open and the charred corpses where they lay, flying back to Saran and Jochi.

Guard Duty

• The party arrived to find Unit 137 tea-bagging his spikes onto the corpse of one of several fallen sahuagin. Smokescale was dusting his hands, with Saran and Jochi still alert, weapons drawn.
• Informed by the party, who asked how to deal with the dead, Jochi and Saran both agreed they had no time and needed to focus on their main objective of parlay with the Fankiang tribe.
• The party took flight to the south.

The Fankiang Outriders

• Date: 25th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), late afternoon, 1372 DR
• The party sighted a row of black pennants, marking Fankiang presence, and beyond, two dozen outriders, holding sabers and composite bows, undrawn. Unlike the Loyalists, the traditionalists dressed in more furs and less armor.
• Jochi instructed them to cover their weapons with their hands as a sign of peace.
• The riders parted for three of their leaders to approach the party:
  • Altani Wolf-Arrow, severe and alert, with a tattoo of several dots under an eye. Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.
  • Qara Sarn, a weasly-man with a condescending sneer and a thin, fake smile.
  • Ordugher Ash-Smoke, an old man with glazed eyes that alternated between staring at nothing and staring at Octavius.

Petition for a Speaking Circle

• Saran formally asked to invoke the right of the Speaking Circle.
• Qara mocked her for wanting to follow the old ways only when it suited her.
• Altani was ready to order archers to fire.
• Qara asked who the party members were. Jochi explained they were there for their own blood-debt and would join the circle.
• Lilia assessed the disposition of the three riders.
  • The woman is in grief over the death. She is direct and honest.
  • The man is a trader and negotiator. He seeks benefits and is selfish.
  • The old sage is disturbed by something.
• Octavius recalled reading about tribal customs, including respect for the dead: "Laash, sister-born of Borcha. His name walks with us."
• Octavius also recalled an offer of water being a sign of peace.
  • He communicated this to Diedric via a subtle message spell. (He still does the wing shaking thing, but with silent squacks. Everyone politely ignored him.)
• Diedric mentioned the phrase and offered the water vial from the Elemental Plane of Water.
  • Altani was touched by the phrase.
  • Qara greedily snatched the water vial, tying it around his neck.
• The old man looked at Octavius, saying "Salt does not grow on grass."
  • Octavius: ok
• The three riders agreed to accept only the party into the Speaking Circle, demanding that the Hubadai (stop fucking this up, Nick) wait outside, promising to safely return the party in three days.
• Saran gave a two-fingered sign of "take heed and be cautious."

The Fankiang Encampment

• The party was led through a sea of black tents.
• They noted hitched horses were ready to go, saddles on, at a moment's notice, and some of the tents were only half-hitched.
• They noted a horse-shrine with braids, teeth, and three small bells. Octavius recalled this was an appropriate place to leave a water offering.
  • He asked when Qara would make the offering. He said when it suited him.

The Speaking Circle

• The party was led into a flap-less tent (a rolling mechanism opened a canvas door upward), with a young boy pouring water over hot coals to warm the interior.
• Seating themselves on their carpet, they were introduced to the Speaking Circle.
• Altani: "For three days we will speak. I speak for truth."
• Qara: "In humility, only water will be our sustenance. I speak for sustenance."
• Ordugher: "Let the first speaker drink now and may we understand them. I speak for understanding."
• Altani took a drink from her waterskin.

Day 1: Truth

• Passing (or drinking from their own waterskins), speakers addressed truth:
• Altani: My truth is that desire Temuj's head as a gift to Borcha, in blood-debt payment for Laash, sister-born. I desire nothing more.
• Qara: My truth is that I wish to gain more from this Speaking Circle than any other. For myself, the elevation of my station, and for the Fankiang. I did not know Laash and care not for his fate, or for that of your Lantil. I would take Borcha's place if I could, through treachery and blood if needed. If I thought our bowmen stood a chance against you, you would already be dead and I would be trading your trinkets.
• Ordugher: I know not the truth. Much has changed since the winds have shifted and my implements burned away. I desire to know truth.
• Glenn indicated his truth was that he sought a resolution for the issue with the paladins of Hoar, since the Fankiang had killed one of their number, and that he wanted the peace talks between the two tribes to go well.
• Diedric indicated that resolving the issue with the paladins of Hoar was of upmost importance to him, and the peace talks secondary.
• Unit 137: [loud fan noises fade] Analysis complete. This unit's truth is annihilate the Tanar'ri.
• Smokescale cheered from invisibility, then cursed.
• Smokescale: "Myyy truuuth is that I've grown to like these piking sods. I almost don't mind being their veerrry underappreciated slave... I miss the monkey." He hesitated. "I reaaally want to corrupt the owl, drag him down to my level, ya know? He accepted the other piker's offer."
• Octavius indicated he only cared about himself and his own party -- and not of the outcome of these talks.
  • Qara liked this.
• Lilia indicated desiring peace, a conclusion with the order of Hoar, no more bloodshed, and for the knights to aid her against Thay.
• The day concluded. All parties prepared to sleep in the tent, including the outriders, who were originally going to sleep elsewhere, until Lilia cast the adventuring smells way.
• Lilia was added to the infernal contract, so she too can command Smokescale.
• Octavius fell asleep in unison with the old man who was staring at him.

The Shared Visions

• Walking in waist-high grass, starry night sky. Ordugher bids Octavius listen to the grass. Eventually hears whispers and sees visions.
• They are hovering in the Astral Plane, seeing a bald red wizard, Tharos Orakul, bowing and coughing blood as a colossal githyanki woman, undead, sits on a throne, examining her hand and projecting boredom while failing to conceal a glint in her eye. She notices Octavius before the vision fades.
• They are in the Grove of Stars as a white dragon, Kissethkashan, enraged, breathes a cone of cold in a sweeping pass. One of the faeress crystals is already shattered. (This allowed the divination of this location to occur. Pretty braggable lore accuracy.) Two wychlaran witches freeze and shatter and the Monolith of Stars begins to crack under the cold. A yellow light emanates from a large crack.
• Uchu and Cedani stand back-to-back in a bog beneath a dark fey sky as three hags approach from all sides. Dead eladrin of various seasons are scattered around them, sinking. Uchu looks to Cedani, who nods grimly. His glowing blue eyes and blue daggers turn red and he begins howling in a berserker rage.
• B'ian Ch'k Ch'k kneels shirtless inside of a low wagon as dozens of sending stones begin vibrating all at once, voices whispering and shouting in various languages. He turns as he hears screaming outside.
• The images speed up in blurs. Warring sahuagin. Dozens swimming underground, holding glowstones for light. Prayers of salt as they enter impure waters, infusion of pearls. A darksteel altar half-submerged in water, in a chamber built of purple stone. An underwater cave entrance.

Day 2: Sustenance

• Date: 26th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), early morning, 1372 DR
• The party awoke and was subjected to a snobby, nasal monologue from Qara:
• Qara: "Today I speak of sustenance. Sustenance is coin, grain, iron, and law. Kubadai's courts take all four."
• Qara: "Tolls on the Golden Path grow. Escorts in purple decide whose wagons pass. Fankiang pay twice--once in coin, once in pride."
• Qara: "Granaries rise at Kourmira. Our wild barley fills them. Their ledgers call it 'protection.'"
• Qara: "Steel follows ledgers. Ledgers follow courts. Courts follow kings -- even false ones."
• Qara: "Kubadai will hoard steel from the west, and silks from the east, and the Fankiang will fade into nothing. Our ways will be nothing."
• The party discussed these issues at length. Glenn's suggestion of thinking like Cormyr in order to combat Cormyrian-style government resonated the most with Qara. Drawing borders, setting their own laws. Lilia suggested formal trade agreements, with marriage to tighten the bonds between the tribes. Diedric noted the lake's importance for sustenance and the threat of the sahuagin to it. The party proferred the scaled arrow.
• Octavius suggested making more use of the grass speakers, as he had similar abilities. Qara asked him to demonstrate.
• Octavius peered into Qara's mind, speaking words that Qara would speak before he spoke them, as he had foreseen this the night before.
• He also delved deeply, seeing a vision of a young Qara slitting a young man's throat and pushing him into a river 20 years ago.
  • He alluded to this without being specific.
• The day concluded, all parties resting.

Day 3: Understanding

• Date: 26th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), early morning, 1372 DR
• The party awoke to a struggling Ordugher, who could not complete sentences or find the right words.
• Troubled, Altani agreed to close the circle.
• Octavius mentally communicated to Ordugher the threat of the sahuagin, their underwater altar, and their ability to live in fresh water.
• The circle closed, the three outriders stepped outside of the tent to discuss their conclusions.
• They returned, and offered the party terms:
  • For seven years, the Fankiang would have exclusive access to guarding and tolling The Golden Way across the endless wastes.
  • They would hold a joint ritual to honor both Laash and Lantil as victims of this conflict.
  • They could not guarantee that Khan Borcha, who still "was outriding her grief", would agree to these terms and not still demand an oath-duel.
    • They explained oath-duels could be saber on horseback (first to bleed or fall), bows on horseback (first to bleed or fall), or to the death.
      • Octavius and Qara liked this.
• Thematically there were more discussions about the details, including potential horse trades, and whether the paladins of Hoar would accept these terms.

Stirring Waters

• Date: 26th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), evening, 1372 DR
• They were interrupted by horns being blown outside, then shouts.
• Men and women quickly mounted their mares.
• In the distance, a single rider rode away from a horde of gaunt, undead creatures scrambling on all fours, rising out of the Lake of Mists.
• Khan Borcha reared her horse to a stop, assessing the party. "Adventurers?!"
• The party confirmed this, and knowing player characters when she sees them, began speaking in all caps, barking orders for the mounted archers to kite the hoard to the east, away from the lake, and commanded the party to enter the waters and find the source of the undead.

The Lake of Mists

• After a brief debate, the party flew their carpet over the lake's dark waters, Octavius pointing out the top of the rock corresponding to the cavern entrance in his vision.
• While the party discussed swimming logistics, Glenn scuba-dove backwards into the waters, turning into a humanoid frog before the cold could bite at him.
• Just 10 feet under the surface, he easily swam past some fronds into the cavern, which surged upward into a chamber filled with air.
  • He was inside of a chamber made of purple stones, water up to his waist, with what appeared to be cartouches or receptables for bodies along the walls.
  • Communicating this with the sending stone, the rest of the party splashed down.
  • Lilia turned into an octopus, towing the armored Diedric with her.
  • Unit 137 produced a breathing mask, a glass cover for his single eye, a flashlight on his forehead, and a rear propeller, an imp-sized disturbance in the water grabbing hold and following him down.

The Entry Gallery

• Once the rest of the party entered, Octavius spotted faded writing on some of the stones, the script appearing to be made of a series of dots and swirls.
• "Lord Artificer... [unreadable] the unbeholden are numbered."
• The session was cruelly ended.

(Green arrow denotes the party's start and end travel path.)

NPCs Encountered (or mentioned)

• Saran, the Tuigan Outrider
• Jochi, the other Tuigan Outrider
• Altani Wolf-Arrow, the Grieving Soldier
• Qara Sarn, the Ambitious Trader
• Ordugher Ash-Smoke, the Troubled Grass Speaker
• Khan Borcha, the Outriding Leader

Memes

• "Shut the fuck up, Brian!"

DM Thoughts

• Nick kept mixing up Fankiang and Hubadai. I perhaps need to enunciate more clearly or encourage him to start taking notes.
• My players think periodic dice rolls behind the screen are just for show.