*The party take Runaka to speak with the angels and work out a deal.
*Khamet suggests resurrecting Volan. A failed attempt is made to resurrect his friend Sabef.
*Lenny suggests that Amani speak with an elven deity if they wish to learn the fate and identity of their grandfather.
*Lenny confirms the presence of a vampire in the nearby monastery.
*Meallan and Yuri discuss Ragnailt.
*Moon departs.
*Meallan and Khamet discuss resurrection, both regarding Volan and about the idea of resurrection more generally.
*Tally grows a beard.
*There is a birthday party for Amani!
*The Hellfire Paladin returns to reveal she has found a suitable cave for Crystal.
*The party reach level nine! =)
As he and Hatar exit a shop on the 16th of Stone, Khamet sees a hoard of familiar individuals passing by- the Disaster Party, on their way to meet Runaka. He excitedly shows off the gifts he has purchased for Joy and his friends back home in Akhetra, before the party proceed to the palace, where they are admitted with ease.
Runaka is understandably taken aback by the news that celestial beings have been squatting in the old cemetery. Tally calls the angels ‘creepy’, whereas Meallan claims they just want a little cottage to call their own. Runaka is uncertain, at first thinking she should send guards to deal with them, although she is not sure how well they would fare against angels. However, the party eventually convince her to speak with the angels herself. She dons a hooded cloak and joins the disasters as they travel back through the city to the abandoned graveyard. In case anything should go wrong, Moon casts
protection from evil and good on Runaka, while Meallan casts
guidance.
When the party enter the mausoleum they see the two angels holding hands, eyes closed. Without opening his eyes, Yuri admits he is surprised that the party returned. Runaka wants to speak with him more directly, and so he breaks away from Lenny and turns towards her. It is then that his warm and reassuring aura washes over everyone present, but all save Amani are able to shrug off this mystically soothing influence and associated adoration of the angel. Runaka arranges for the angels to receive a cottage in exchange for them providing healing to the city- and sending her a jar of jam once a month, since presumably they can even magic it up out of season.
A conversation between Meallan and Khamet grows heated, alarming Runaka. Her own business here completed, she leaves the mausoleum with Tally. As they return to the palace, she expresses concerns that one or more of the adventurers may be dangerous to have around, based on what she overheard. However, Tally is able to reassure her. The princess once more plans to convince her parents to grant the party a suite of rooms at the castle, which they may reside in until their etherlium arrives, in thanks for their service to Argentian and for defending Cai Shaan from a cult and a demon.
Back at the mausoleum, Yuri asks the party if they are going to take him up on his offer of resurrection, which is the first Khamet hears of it. Khamet suggests resurrecting Volan, but Amani and Meallan immediately object. Meallan presses for resurrecting Sabef instead. Khamet agrees to try, but says that they should revive Volan if it doesn’t work. Khamet hands Yuri his journal. Yuri focuses on its connection to Sabef, but he just can’t draw him back into the world of the living. While the pair of them acknowledge Khamet already knew this wouldn’t work, Yuri tells Khamet that Sabef still cares about him. Khamet becomes emotional and retreats outside to cry alone.
Moon notices strange shadowy wisps occasionally appearing near Lenny. These seem to cause him pain. She learns that these are a side effect of him leaving his home to follow Yuri, and that he can’t be healed so long as he remains here in this place, which he very much wishes to do for the time being.
Amani talks to Yuri about their elven grandfather- the shadow sorcerer who injured Asariel with their magic. Yuri focuses on Amani’s magic in an attempt to learn their grandfather’s identity and determine whether or not he is still alive, or whether he is deceased as they were told when growing up. Yuri is eventually forced to admit that, while it is possible to trace sorcery to others of the same bloodline, he does not know enough about elves to succeed on his own. He recommends that Amani speak to somebody with greater knowledge of elves, such as one of their deities.
Meanwhile, Moon asks Lenny if there is a vampire in the monastery. He confirms that there is- a woman, but she does not match the description of the woman Moon is seeking. After their conversations, Moon and Amani step outside to comfort Khamet, with Hatar following at length.
At last Meallan is left alone with Yuri and Lenny, and they can speak about Ragnailt. Yuri suggests that, due to the fiendish nature of the village’s destruction, it was the dark and dangerous magic in the air itself that enabled her return. When prompted, he further suggests that she may be a wight or, more likely, a revenant, given that she can sense where her killer is at all times. Meallan is not surprised by this news, although it is not exactly welcome. Yuri leaves him with a small piece of advice from personal experience: sometimes you just have to learn to live with the mistakes you’ve made.
The party are granted rooms at the palace to stay in while they await the arrival of their etherlium. Some stay here and others at the inn, save one. With Moon’s quest driving her onward to the mountains bordering Silvertree, she farewells the party with some heartfelt words:
“Meallan, I feel as though I understand the pain of your loss all too well, and I hope with all my heart that the fiend you spoke of is destroyed before hurting anyone else. You’re stronger and wiser than you may think, but do take care - oh, and here-”
She tosses him a pouch of coins.
“-take this in exchange for a favour. Tell the troll, as you seem to be able to talk to him, that he is great competition for an eating contest, he really gave me a run for my money back in that tavern, and very few can match me when it comes to being a big eater!
Khamet, you are very strong, possibly the strongest man I will ever meet, and your companions will need that strength in a pinch - you fellows seem to attract danger somehow, so take care of yourself, okay- and go easy on the drink!
Basil, I could sense some serious doubt in you after the succubus was slain regarding your companions, it was clearly a very distressing time. I know I’m an outsider and it is not my place to try to influence any of your decisions, so I am not going to suggest anything about such things, but, I will say, as I have said before, that I think this is a very good pack, and I’m sure they’d be sad if you chose to leave. Also, your goat could use some more fibre in her diet.”
“Anthony, I’ve never before met a person who could terrify a powerful fiend so easily - you are clearly also a very formidable human and full of surprises. Thank you for showing me this ‘Blade’ vampire-hunter’s story on your amazing magical device - although I suspect that he was just wearing the shading eyewear to look cool, as he clearly did not need to worry about the sunlight as real vampires do.
Amani, when I tracked you down in the trees you seemed very withdrawn and I understand that sometimes it is very important to be alone, but it’s not good to be a lone wolf for too long. You have friends here that worry about you a lot.”
“T-Tally,” Moon blushes awkwardly as she addresses the drow. “Stay safe! Take this!”
She thrusts her strawberry-flavored healing potion in his direction, rambling and stuttering her way through the explanation.
“It is sweet, and y-you deserve sweet things! Please! Stay safe, you must!”
Finally, she says to the whole party before transforming and loping off into the distance with Kuro the tressym flying after her:
“I sincerely hope that our paths will cross again - you handsome fellows really are a very good pack - stay safe, my friends!”
After Moon departs, the party spend a quiet evening in Argentian. At one point Khamet and Tally disappear into the bathroom together, and run the taps to hinder any potential eavesdroppers. Tally asks what happened after he left the mausoleum with Runaka. Khamet mentions that Yuri tried to resurrect Khamet’s friend Sabef, but it didn’t work. Khamet further admits he knew it wouldn’t, because Sabef was killed in a manner that prevents him ever returning. Tally expresses confusion at the idea that a dead person can still care about Khamet- the idea of there being a life beyond death is quite foreign, and somewhat frightening, to Tally. The idea of being dead and then coming back to life after months or years is almost unfathomable.
Khamet then mentions that he wanted to take up Yuri’s offer and revive Volan, but he felt the others made fun of him for the idea. He trusts Tally and wants to know what the drow thinks. They discuss the issue from several angles. Tally asks Khamet why he wants to do this, and Khamet says that it would make Vaan happy. Tally points out that you shouldn’t bring someone back for the sake of somebody else- but rather, for the sake of the person being revived.
Khamet suggests that Vaan’s life improving means that Volan’s could improve too. Furthermore, much of the brothers’ situation was due to being raised in the Circle Enshadowed, which has since been destroyed. Tally wonders if Volan’s soul would even want to return, but Khamet assures him that only willing souls can be summoned back from the afterlife.
However, Khamet is not solely focussed on reviving the deceased bandit. Khamet asks Tally if there’s anyone he would prefer to bring back. Tally says that he’s lost so many people, he couldn’t pick just one. But he believes no person is more worthy of this opportunity than any other. The duo ultimately decide to seek out someone who has died and been restored to life, to find out how they have adjusted, before making the decision as to whether or not they should take up Yuri’s offer and revive someone themselves. That settled, they finally vacate the bathroom so that others may use it for its intended purpose.
When Meallan retires for the night, Wisp scurries out of his pocket and stands looking at him. He says that he has been thinking, and asks if Meallan would like the fiend to show him another way to help protect his friends. Meallan says he would like that a lot. Wisp and Meallan work together for hours to ensure that, if people write their names in Meallan’s Book of Shadows, once per day one of them can be protected from a knockout blow in combat.
When he wakes in the morning, Tally discovers he has grown a long, wavy white beard. Meallan and Khamet offer beard care tips, and the party take turns grooming it. After a time, Meallan explains the new powers of his book, and asks the party who would like to write their name in it. Ultimately Amani, Basil, Anthony and Pippi volunteer. Pippi first speaks with Wisp before making her decision, and it seems that she is becoming a little more comfortable around him.
Asariel approaches Amani. The archmage is hiding something behind their back. They wish Amani a happy birthday and pass them a small gift, poorly wrapped in brown paper. It is a glass globe. Asariel shows Amani that, when a specific rune is traced onto it, the globe projects constellations onto the walls, floor and ceiling. Amani loves it!
Their friends didn’t realise it was Amani’s birthday. When Amani and Asariel leave, their friends quickly put together a surprise party. Tally purchases body glitter and a small sparkly cake for the occasion (as well as souvenirs for friends back in Cai Shaan.)
When Amani and Asariel return they see Khamet, Tally, Pippi and Tenacity all wearing body glitter and waiting under strings of paper Night’s Peace dolls (some better than others), while Anthony arranges the drinks. Meallan soon returns to the group with a pot of hearty stew and dishes it out for everyone. Amani is stunned. They tell the party that nobody besides their family has never cared about them enough to do something like this.
After a time, the Hellfire Paladin (finding the party with Tenacity's help) returns to inform the team that she has found a suitable cave for Crystal. Still enjoying this lovely party, they suggest she find them some more money- they need money to defeat Malka, after all! The paladin leaves, clearly annoyed.
It is evening of the 17th of Stone 15003. It will be a few days more before the etherlium arrives in the capital and the party decide their next move. For now, the party is at peace.