You're wearing a pelvis, I'm singing like Elvis

Session 44

It's time to get down to business the next morning. We tell the house to not listen to Greensong any more, just in case she decides to come back while we're away and wants to somehow take control of the house. While the rest of us prepare for the day, Maltheo goes downstairs and uses the spy vial for the Empire's courtier. He can tell they're staying in a loft room in a building, some place that is obviously not their own residence. He eats a meal that was delivered to the room. By the end of the breakfast moment, Maltheo has witnessed the person clothing themselves with magic, then he grabs a broom and flies out the window.

Yahnist goes outside to do a perimeter check around the house. He's super detailed and thorough enough to find what he believes to be quadrupedal tracks in the ground. They have the the appearance of being feline in nature. Whatever it is is clearly large enough to be ridden; maybe even larger; upon further inspection it's not even quadrupedal but in fact hexapedal. A six-legged feline of some sort!

Prophet wants to cast the Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum spell on the house before we leave. It provides a whole host of protections that should keep everything super secure. Yahnist wants to orb-scry for Greensong, and gets Briya and Prophet to use the orb. North of the city, close to the banks of the river, there is one tall building that has obviously stood the tests of time better than most others. From this distance, we can see into the Empire camp; not everything though. It is somewhat protected from this sort of intrusion. There are movements in the streets of nondescript people and creatures throughout the city, but we're not able to see Greensong anywhere.

Finally, Cass stays behind to look through books and such, and the rest of us leave to follow Yahnist and his tracking of the animal prints. We follow them to find a displacer beast being ridden by someone: a woman with Elvish features, pale skin and hair, and war paint on her face. She also has two horn-nubs sticking out on her head. We pause quietly and decide what to do, quickly deciding that being stealthy is most important. Thanks to great roll and Pass Without a Trace, it's easily handled.

Fifteen minutes later, after observing and following her, the woman really just seems to be on some sort of scouting venture. After another 15 minutes, we enter a wider clearing that would have been a major boulevard in times past. Eventually, she arrives at the tallest building that we saw from the orb. It's truly in great shape compared to must of the rest of Moleasmyr, if not leaning a bit slightly. It seems whomever was occupying this tower before enjoyed art: from the bottom to just past the middle, it is covered in artistic murals of all sorts, natural and druidic. We watch her go inside and she seems alone. It's an inner courtyard of sorts – an open space. The air smells like it's going to rain.

The displacer beast is resting again while the woman is holding a lit torch and looking up. From our distance, we can hear speaking, but not close enough yet to discern what's being said. We move a bit closer, and Yahnist knows she's speaking Giant. It's obviously not her first language. "Everything seems fine and there's no immediate danger or recent activity. Some people did move in to Lorna's lair. Greensong hasn't been seen since we spotted her yesterday."

In reply, a deep, low voice echoes down the tower. "Thank you my friend. Keep looking for Greensong; we haven't seen her in a while."

Prophet and Kra'naelan give a duo-power move of charisma and introduce their presence, with the rest of the group hiding away, as before. The displacer beast is unthreatened. The scout turns to look in their direction and by the time she's turned there's a bow pulled and ready. However, after hearing and seeing them, she chills a hair and relaxes her stance. Switching to Elvish (her native tongue) she says, "Oh, I didn't expect to see anyone... I thought I had paid such close attention."

Prophet says, "Worry not, that's right. You did an excellent job. We noticed your tracks and wanted to find out if you're friend or foe. It seems we have a common goal. We are also looking for Greensong."

Woman - "Friend or foe is hard to define here. Please come in; I think it's about to rain."

Kra'naelen - "We don't want to disturb your... companion? I don't speak Giant."

Woman - "When she's meditating she barely notices anything."

Kra'naelen and Prophet believe she seems genuine. She introduces herself as Izi. As we walk in, we see that the ground level has more of the murals and paintings on the inside the tower as on the outside. Every square inch has been covered in the art until about 40 feet in the air.

Floating in a meditative state and in the lotus position is a stone giant. Sylvan tattoos on her arms are glowing faintly. She's really giving off an arty hipster vibe. There are even what appear to be under-skin body modifications poking out at various locations. There's a very prominent fish-shaped one and, right under her eye, there's a small spider shape. She's wearing yoga harem pants and a painter's apron, all while currently meditating. Briya as a blood hawk sees this sight from small openings at the top of the tower, a bit over 80 feet high.

Izi says it's best not to disturb her at this time since she always meditates before her productive creative periods. When she came to Molaesmyr, she found this place with white walls and decided it would be the location for her masterpiece. Izi mentions that she herself comes from Shadycreek Run and met Azirssa in the past year. She really liked her art and philosophy. We ask her if Azirssa has been kind, and get a yes, save for when Azirssa felt compelled to protect herself from Empire soldiers. (As denoted by the somewhat destroyed door area.)

Prophet looks closer at all of the art. For a giant with hands the size of a car (whatever that is), the detail and talent is really impressive. It truly shows happiness and nature. Inside, most of the stone has been done in dark blues and blacks and her subjects are in lighter colors. Noticeable now are different points on the wall that seem to be nine focus-points as things to look out for. Everything is done in many different kinds of beautiful Damascus patterns.

Briya, while flying around and searching for Greensong, comes across a giant albino bat! However, she never found her or any traces of her. In fact, Briya is getting the feeling that perhaps she's actually left Molaesmyr altogether.

Prophet lies to Izi that after Greensong gave us her key, she asked us to find more. "Interesting that she gave it to you... I've been suspecting that she left town since yesterday. It makes sense she'd leave it here."

Prophet: "Where do these keys lead to?"

Izi: "That's what Azirssa has been working on. (She points to one of the 9 focus areas). I know it's sort of around there. There's a door and they had keys and there was supposed to be nine. We know they're animals. Azirssa found the spider here actually. Greensong had one. I spied on some of the Empire people and they found one in one of their little digging sites."

Prophet: "We were wondering as well why these were important for us to have."

Izi: "If you want to stay and speak to her you can. But, it depends on her moods. Sometimes she can meditate for minutes, and sometimes hours. I try not to disturb her once the inspiration comes. When she's ready I'm sure she'll be ready to give you the whole tour."

We also learn that Azirssa regularly comes out of her trance at dusk to eat, with Izi. Izi will do an afternoon round of surveying beforehand.

Kra'naelen and Prophet bid farewell to Izi, and return to the group a bit away from the tower to share all that has happened. It's during that time that Tissiphone Messages Prophet. "Friend, Queen has requested your presence. Come back to Rosohna at once. There are distressing rumors about you." Prophet replies, "Nothing we can't sort out. I will return as soon as I am able, though it may be a while."

Later that day, around dusk as promised, Izi returns with wild game that she starts preparing for meals. Prophet and Kra'naelen enter to join her, but the rest are stealthily waiting outside as before.

There's a sound of cracking of stone as Azirssa wakes and stretches and she lands on the ground. "Hello. Are you friends of Izi?"

Prophet - "We certainly are. We have come to admire your work and ask you some questions."

Kra'naelen - "And thank you for dinner, Izi. This is quite kind."

Azirssa - "Ahh. I appreciate that you are here to witness my piece. Though it's not finished yet."

Prophet - "As a love of art, I'd love to hear more about this wonderful work of yours. What do these represent?"

Azirssa - "I am what my people would call (a clunking sound meaning Dreamwalker). When I enter my meditations, I hear the vibrations of the weave itself; the echoes of history; even parts of the song of creation. All of it comes to me in phrases, sounds, and sensations. I try to record it all through my medium: the immortal art of paint. I have been listening to the sad song of Moleasmyr for a long time, trying to capture and document it for those who ask what it is that happened here long ago. I have recorded it on these walls, but I know not how it will end.

Kra'naelen - "You know what's happened here?"

Azirssa - "I know parts of it that left echoes. I don't know what darkness came here, but we have heard stories of animal guardians. I carry one with me always."

Prophet - "We too are wanting to help Molaesmyr rid itself of this corruption. We need one of these to be able to accomplish this."

Azirssa - "You need one? I do have the spider with me... I found it one of my first days here. Others I know are far away within the Empire's camp."

Kra'naelen mentions Lorna's evil corruption, as well as his royal-decreed mission to discover and rid the forest of its corruption.

Azirssa - "Yes, this is terrible. It saddens me knowing so much history has been lost here. And how much more can be lost! If things go on the way they did... (black tear of goo sadness!!!) I am not sad Lorna is gone. Her methods were questionable. If you want to stop this corruption I believe (points toward the walls) I believe you will need all of the guardians.

Prophet - "Then we're all on the same side. Could you share with us what you have learned about these guardians? I shall let you know what I know." Her tattoos light up again in a trance-like moment. And then, out of nowhere, music echoes through the tower, and she starts singing in lyrical poetry:

In a realm of elves, beasts and birds,
Where magic flowed and tales were heard,
Lived nine animal spirits of might,
Each with a virtue, shining bright.

The Stag was strong, with antlers tall,
The Hare was swift, the fastest of all,
The Owl was wise, with piercing sight,
The Wolf was brave, a fearless knight.

The Spider spun webs, intricate and fine,
The Dove was kind, with a heart divine,
The Fish was agile, in water and air,
The Crow was patient, with a steady stare.

These guardians knew well of danger's call,
For evil lurked beneath their walls,
So they gathered, wise and bold,
To create a shield, to protect their hold.

Each beast gave up a virtue, pure,
To form a charm, strong and sure.
The Stag gave strength, the Hare speed,
The Owl knowledge, the Wolf valor indeed.

The Spider gave patience, the Dove shared love,
The Fish gave agility, the Crow insight above.
Together their virtues, a powerful blend,
A shield for their realm, a means to defend.

But one spirit, the Fox, was sly,
Cunning and clever, he did not comply.
He did not want to give away his wit,
So he ran away, to the realm of men he beat it.

The spirits knew not that without the Fox,
Their shield would be incomplete and lost.
With only eight virtues, the enchantment did spark,
However it became a warped barrier, strong but terribly dark.

Kunning, the spirit fox, is on the run,
In the forest's depths, he's second to none.
Invisible to the eye, he moves with stealth,
Through brush and bramble, all by himself.

So elusive and sly, he's hard to track,
Unless you match his devious knack.
Now it's up to you, seekers brave and true,
Ensnare the ninth, the fox, and claim your due.