Rules of engagement
We then retreat to Bole and take a bit of time to discuss everything that has happened in the last few days. Auryn notes that the Titans seem to like the new king of Risur and have treated him with the respect he deserves. She adds that it is quite surprising that at least two of them have no doubts about the fateful connection between Auryn and Gabriel. Gabriel also feels vindicated by the Titans' gestures, even if he had the feeling that the Titans considered the king less important than their own kind and he isn't too sure what that would mean for their future co-existence. Auryn doesn't find that too alarming, as she points out to him that, for the Titans, mortals come and go like the tides, and it is ultimately the office that they respect as one of their own, not the specific person. Though that may change in the future.
“I know you have a different perspective on this, but you've had quite a similar situation with the Vantrys, am I correct?”, she adds.
Gabriel lets that sink in for a while, before Auryn suddenly switches subjects.
“Remember when I asked you to make me your agent?”, she asks, to which Gabriel replies with a confirming nod. Auryn then looks straight in his eyes and continues quite bluntly:
“I made up my mind. Make me your Green Knight. I don't see you getting along with Dame Jillian anytime soon and I doubt any Risuri would be able to protect you the way I can. I can match your pace... and I know you.”
As expected, Gabriel is pretty much surprised by this suggestion that's closing in on demand territory. He then closes his eyes and bites his lip in discomfort before he answers her:
“I'm sorry, but I cannot do, no, I don't want to do that. Your every word is correct, but I... don't want it to be your duty to give your life for mine. It just feels wrong.”
“You know that I'd do it anyway, duty or not? I will defend you to the very end and beyond.”
Gabriel takes Auryn's hands and squeezes them gently.
“I know. But there is a difference in protecting someone solely out of choice and love and this being a duty or an office. And, you know, I'm also worried for your safety and will do everything to protect you. See the dilemma?”
Auryn takes a deep breath and then finally nods.
“I understand. I withdraw the request. But I won't leave your side.”
As Gabriel has no further objections, she then tells him that after everything that has happened, she wants to send a message to her mother so that she has enough time to plan her wedding. After all, the Eladrin ceremony is quite elaborate and they are still in the midst of recovering from a disaster. Gabriel is quite surprised by this suggestion.
“So... this is a proposal?”, he asks with a raised eyebrow.
“Uh... if you want to take it this way? But it was you who made his intentions clear over a year ago. I mean... you said you 'didn't want to share me with other husbands' and talked about children, so... I thought we had this settled a long time ago?”
“Yes, we had. But a proposal...”
Auryn looks at her partner in confusion over his sudden disappointment and it takes her a while to realize that a "proposal" would have been something special for Gabriel. And now she regrets the fact that she even brought up the subject. In the end, she just wanted to explain to him that he didn't have to have a lavish, political event in Risur, and that she was only interested in honoring and declaring their union according to their culture. Also, she adds that a ceremony in Elfaivar does not have to involve the larger public (as she apparently felt that for Gabriel their relationship was more of a private matter) and does not have to raise any questions among the Risuri (as to why the King would marry an Eladrin of all people).
“You really think we could, or should sneak away like this? Even if we wanted to, the King of Risur owes the public a spectacle. So there is no way we can avoid a celebration in Risur. Though I doubt this is how you really feel, am I not mistaken?”
Auryn answers this question with a long silence, while trying to avoid Gabriel's gaze.
“Don't forget that after all, you are an emissary of the Fey, and quite the celebrity among the Risuri. Trying to hide doesn't suit you.”
“Alright, alright. But this would be your part, your majesty.”, she says with a faint grin, finally breaking the growing ice.
(and there we have yet another misunderstanding. Gabriel was probably already making plans in his mind for doing a proper proposal – like the ones in his romance novels – as a romantic gesture that's usually more alien to him. And there comes Auryn and butchers his intent. From her perspective, she just wanted to stress out the Titans' gestures by stating facts she thought to be set in stone quite some time now. And yes, preparing said ceremony would take its proper time. When she realized her mistake, she was both embarrassed and piqued, which in turn made her scratched ego come out again.)
After the exchange, we meet up with Flying Spark, who tells us about some strange songs in the swamp that he's heard when trying to research the Voice's whereabouts. We ask our friend to lead us to the place he last heard the songs, and he leads us to the site of the Ziggurat of Apet. The complex seems to have sunk into the swamp since the last time we visited this place.
We take a look around and find no trace of the Voice of Rot, but unexpectedly stumble across the ghost of an old orc who introduces himself as Toteth Topec. He is none other than the genius behind the original seal on Axis Isle.
(Awww man, I had a good laugh when I heard that name. My players will forever connect him with that long, overcomplicated play that they didn't understand. I did expand on Toteth and his elementalist crew though after the Tomb of the Pyromancer, which was a story arc they actually enjoyed )
We introduce ourselves to the old orc, tell him about our planar problems, and he explains that this is probably the reason for his awakening. He then tells us that during his lifetime, Lanjyr suffered from constant "visitors" from other worlds, who in turn had nothing but contempt for the "primitive savages". After our encounter with the salamanders from Jiese, we know too well what Toteth Topec is talking about, and we add that said “visitors” are what we feared when we learned about people wanting to fiddle around with the planar seal.
Toteth continues his tale and explains, that he and others spent their lives searching for a way to close the planar border, traveling to different worlds to gather aspects that were best and most important for their home, Lanjyr. Doing so was relatively easy back then, as you could just walk through a portal and land on another world. He then tells us about the ritual and the enormous feat of casting the golden plate, with which he was able to create a “sun” that would keep the monsters away from his settlements for at least half a day.
“Maybe the best idea I had in all of this ritual planning. Just imagine, having to be ready to fight monsters anytime. But alas, I see that the planar accident destroyed that progress.”
When we tell him that we want to fix the world, he warns us to find the right planar balance to avoid further disasters. He tells us the recipe for a really good margarita, which he has already prepared and invites us to drink with him from a huge cauldron. After a while, his spirit just dissipates into thin air. We both agree that Toteth departing so soon is a shame, because he probably could have pointed out Nicodemus' mistakes better than anyone else.
After this really unexpected conversation, we return to Flint via Slate and report to the capital about our third pacified Titan and the absence of the Serpent of the Swamps. In return, we are being told that a "certain someone" wants to talk to us, that the duplicant alarm has been triggered, and that the duplicant protocol has been acted upon. This in turn indicates that a certain dragon has finally found his way to us.
In a holding cell we can talk to said duplicant, a previously unknown figure who turns out to be controlled by Gradiax. Just as we had expected. He tells us that he has to renew the pact of Boyle. Just when Gabriel is about to remark that he'd expected the “real him” for the renewal, he apologizes and states that this is unfortunately the most personal form of appearance that's currently available to him, as he is currently trapped on Axis island.
When he mentions Axis, both our eyes widen in surprise, as the island has been off limits for now, and we don't know whether or not Team A made it. We get that this might just be a crucial opportunity for us, and we let him continue. Gradiax tells us that he, or rather Fordren, had traveled to the island alongside the Danorans, watched the explosion from a safe distance, and then found quite the destruction on the island. He also mentions that they have found “RHC” on the island, but we can assure him that they have nothing to do with the explosion. Anyway, the Danorans had hired "Fordren" to build an airship for them, and this plan didn't change regardless of whatever had happened there before. And building an airship he did, until his workers suddenly went crazy and started working on the thing like "one linked spirit".
“Airships... why does it have to be airships this soon?” Gabriel mumbles, shaking his head in disbelief as this was just one of his worries at the Obscon.
In turn, we explain Gradiax that what he has just witnessed is some form of Gidim-like effect, and that this is yet another worry we had uttered back then. Which was, unfortunately, ignored by Nicodemus. We give him a rough idea what the “Hiveminds” and their mental connection are all about, and he thanks us for the clarification.
“Once you know its true nature, you can fight it. And you will be pleased to hear that I'd like to help you. Still in order to do so, you need to help me solve my problems first: I have been invited to some Obscurati conference. Twice. First as Francis Fordren, which is quite obvious given my connections to Danor's industrial complex. And second, as Benedict Pemberton. Which came quite as a surprise, as he never had the best of relationships. All the while I am stuck here.”
“Seems like you've been put in quite a corner”, Auryn remarks with a quiet laugh.
We then update him on the events in Kellandia, and that the future Protectorate is seeking closer cooperation with Macdam. Which might be interesting for “Pemberton” in one way or another. Regarding the Obscurati meeting, we suggest that maybe we can come to the meeting with one or two companions. Which could help him navigate two personas, if he'd like to join with Pemberton as well. Gradiax doesn't seem averse to the idea, but he's still stuck on Axis Island and for sure doesn't want to have to fight his way off the island in his true form for the time being. And keeping the secret of Boyle would also be in our general interest, wouldn't it?
Now Auryn's smile broadens as this whole situation is so very much amusing, even delightful to her.
“Don't you worry, King Gabriel and I will come to your rescue.”
“That'd be really a pleasure, my dear.”, Gradiax replies, his duplicant voice radiating a pleasant surprise.
However, in order to rescue the dragon, we'd first we need a way to get to him across the sea. A path that's currently being blocked by the Kraken Titan. So it seems like we also have to take care of the last Titan way before we anticipated.
(
We thought that She who Writhes going crazy at sea would play into our cards as it would prevent Danor from crossing the sea and invading Risur. As long as only we'd have access to safe high-level magic (aka unerring teleport), this would have given us quite the time to prepare for whatever they might have in plan. Thanks, Grady)
So we order the Impossible (which should be patrolling near the coast) to Flint and try our first real teleport home. Fortunately, it works just as planned. Meanwhile, an unlikely couple is already waiting for us in Flint's harbor: Beshela and Asrabey, the former accompanied by some sea warriors on mounts. The fey lady explains that her mistress is still angry about the circumstances of her awakening and needs to be soothed by a ritual before she is willing to talk. She is willing to perform the ritual herself, but we must find a way to keep the Titan from escaping. And since we don't want to risk the rest of our ships to play with the Kraken, we'll have to come up with something for better or worse. Oh, and She who Writhes has probably learned how to teleport by now.
(Glorious news. A teleporting Kraken. Also... how was Beshela able to switch from the Dreaming to the Waking? Was there some explanation that we'd missed?)
Asrabey is unusually grim and even quieter than usual during the whole conversation. So Auryn takes the opportunity to ask him about Kasvarina, and wtheer they are on good terms again.
“I didn't meet her. Why should I? There is little point in returning to that time.”, he grumbles.
“But wasn't this why you left Flint? We followed your trail, but lost it in Elfaivar. And then we found Kasvarina. She's well and helping the enclaves, in case you wanted to know.”
Asrabey sighs, as if the conversation was rather cumbersome for him.
“And what point is there in trying to mend something that's so irredeemably broken? She's clinging to a past that can never come back. It would be better to face the truth: There has never been much hope for Elfaivar, and now what little there has been was smashed to pieces. So... can we please just go through with this?”
Auryn's eyes widen in disbelief as she just cannot fathom what she's just heard from a man she thought she knew so well. As she doesn't like this fatalism at all, and she tries from various angles to make Asrabey understand that there is still hope, and that she doesn't want to leave him alone with his dark thoughts as she considers him her family. Asrabey finally shakes his head, sits down on the docks and silently says “Oh little flower, if you knew...”
What he hadn't anticipated though is that Auryn has learned some lip-reading along her journey.
“If I knew what? Asrabey, please talk to me. I won't leave you alone. Not like Kasvarina back then.”
As he realizes that Auryn understood his final words, he turns pale and looks at her in a sudden flash of terror. Then he activates a charm and turns ethereal, trying to run away as fast as possible.
(aaand the resolution of this cliffhanger will have to wait till the next episode. You did the poor boy dirty!)