Venus

He asks them to swear on the Dumbraava, the heart of the forest, that they will not tell anyone what he says. Galia whispers to the group that local legend is taht if you break an oath on the heart of the forest, the fey will kill you in a horrible manner. Galia then swears, and Adalia follows her lead. Belladonna begins to walk out. Carindrina asks him to swear on the heart of the forest that the promise they make won't harm the people in this village. James agrees. Carindrina, Furus, Venus, and Midna all agree to swear. Galia goes to Belladonna, and begs her to help. Furus tries to help, telling her that if the fey come to kill her, it is her chance to stab their eyes out. Adalia shakes her head and says, if we don't break the oath, there isn't a problem. And the unlikliest of friends, Galia is the one who finally gets through to her, telling her that she can tell that Belladonna is an honest and noble person who would never break and oath she takes, if she doesn't feel comfortable ytaking the oath, the group will try to guide her towards decisions that will help the community. Galia explains that she made a promise not to force people to do things, so she is asking as someone who cares very much for the people of this town, if she would please help them. Belladonna agrees to come back and makes the oath.

​

James thanks them for taking the oath, and explains that his father had wanted him to marry the daughter of another noble family, The Tanglewoods. Her family follows Liguaquide and his family follows Shinze, which is how his family has operated for centuries, and now he knows thanks to information from Carindrina, that it is actually important for his family to be set up with that worship. However he doesn't love her, he loves someone else. He is worried that now that he knows this, he should end his relationship so that he doesn't inflict the curse on the town. His father hadn't made a decision when he died, they were going to talk about it in the morning, but in the morning he was dead.

​

Carindrina says she understands the need for secrecy. Adalia asks how involved Blitherby was involved. James explains that Blitherby is instrumental in organizing meetings between the families, as Tricreche is run as a council of the families and not a king, but Balvonier is the capital so Blitherby does organize many of the meetings. Adalia tells him they found a letter from Blitherby to Elaine Tanglewoos sayings "This was not in our agreement. Where did you put it?". James says he doesn't know why she would need aletter from Blitherby since her parents run the town, unless she was beginning to take over. They didn't have any agreements other than their engagement, which while it has been in motion for several years, wasn't officially announced.He asks when Blitherby mailed the letter. Adalia tells him that they knew the sword was missing. but initially he didn't tell Blitherby, he only told him just before he met the group. He has only seen Elaine a few times, but he didn't feel anything for her.

​

Furus asks him to clarify why it weighs so heavily on him. James said it wasn't weighing so heavily on him until his father died, and now he feels that he needs to follow through with his Father's final wishes, and now that he knows the religions and the promises are so important and tied to the curse. They also need to keep agreements with the other towns on the Roueda or the roads can be dangerous and peopel can go missing. Carindrina asks if he has made a promise to the Tanglewoods or the girl he loves. He says he has to the girl he loves. Cardrina says she understands that, but thinks he needs to honor his promise. He is unsure because if his father made the deal for him, he needs to honor it, and he knows that if he asked his love she would let him go for the safety of the town. Carindrina says she thinks honor comes from within. He asks if they will go talk to the Tanglewoods and ask them to release him from the engagement.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/r-z/spectacles-of-understanding

Aura faint divination; CL 2nd; Slot eye; Price 3,000 gp; Weight —

DESCRIPTION

When worn, these innocent-looking spectacles convert any written language to one known by the wearer, as the comprehend languages spell. The glasses are also good at detecting falsified documents, granting their wearer a +5 bonus to Linguistics checks to identify forgeries and the ability make such checks untrained.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/c-d/collar-of-the-true-companion

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Slot neck; Price 10,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION

Although it appears to be a simple thong of leather, this collar was initially conceived by druids who believed that there were animals who possessed spirits worthy of elevation to true sentience. If worn by a creature of the animal type with an Intelligence less than 3, a collar of the true companion grants a +2 enhancement bonus to Intelligence. This does not give the animal the ability to speak, but it does allow it to understand one spoken language (chosen by the item’s creator).

If the collar is worn for at least 1 week by a creature of the animal type, the creature is raised to humanlike sentience, as though by the awaken spell. Once this occurs, the collar loses its magical properties.

If a collar of the true companion is worn for more than 1 week by a creature not of the animal type, the wearer is feebleminded until the collar is removed.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/r-z/robe-of-arcane-heritage/
Robe of Arcane Heritage – d20PFSRD

There is an iron cage in the attic of the Abbot's home. When Venus touched it, there was a large shockwave of good holy power that exploded out and pulsed from the cage.

​

Investigating the cage carefully, they determined each bar was carved with blessings from all of the old gods. This was something all of the temples had come together to contain a great evil. There was no clear way in or out, so there must have been a key, but they did not find one searching the house.

​

Talking with Sundrop, the house Brownie did nothing to illuminate why they had a giant cage, what they planned on trapping, or how to open it.

A silver coiled dragon with a ruby eye on a silver chain was left in her room in Iron Key House. The instructions stated, "It can only be used once, so only use it in a time of dire need. To use it, whisper “sid noces net kilcab”

Dragons and Fey have long looked out for one another. We know you are driven to do good in this world. We would like to rely on you to ensure nothing harms the humans in our care. We would be in your debt. Please take this charm. It can only be used once, so only use it in a time of dire need. To use it, whisper “sid noces net kilcab”

The vision began with a dark and twisted forest, then a glowing entryway, you fell down, deep underground the air was cold and wet. The caves dripped and clinked and shadows skittered along the walls. The wetness was overpowering and seemed to wrap around you like a shroud. It clung to your body, your face, then the waves of water enclosed around you. You were breathing in the water, drowning and choking, and nothing could shake you awake. As the water stayed on your skin, it burned and scarred you, you could see the skin melting then turning black and flaking away. The tips of your fingers were pearly bones that reached out like bleached coral to grab onto anything, anything that could save you. Voices called to you, distorted through the water, but you finally heard them clearly, telling you to return to the present, and you saw a silvery thread of time swirling loosely in the water, you reached out, struggling to grab it without flesh, then lurched out of the vision and back into the forest.

Adalia: where have the missing people been going?

Seer: " The circle is round, but also broken, things end up not where they've come from, but they all end up returning."

Adalia: specifically where is the Abbot family, Eleanor, and Ava?

Seer: " There are many more missing than you know. The family you seek is closer than you think, but much much farther from life than they should be."



Adalia: Did other people disappeared at the festival of light?

Seer: yes.



Adalia: who went missing at the festival of lights?

Seer: "He was a child of music and the forest"

Adalia: Do you know his name?

Seer: I can only see in pictures, but I can show you his face.

Adalia to Galia: Is it safe to let her put a picture in her mind?

Galia: It should be fine. Seer, please show all of us the image

Seer: (nods)





Venus: Do you know who will go missing next?

Seer: I do and you will recognize her (shows a picture they recognize as Adele Greenbrush)

Seer:" We hope to stop it, but sometimes in stopping one, another takes it place."



Seer: Have you found the children, as she has seen the group find them.

Adalia: No. Did any children go missing for the same reason before Grimmur?

Seer: I can't see what takes them, and I can't see the reason, but it is something evil and dark that is blocking my vision, and it starts breaking the circle of the Roueda in Thornyside.



Adalia: (again) Have any other children mysteriously disappeared before Grimmur?

Seer: As the seasons go, one child has gone missing every festival starting at Balansera one year ago, at the festival of balance children have been going missing.

Adalia: "Just one?"

Seer: yes.

Adalia: What changed at the festival of luck?

Seer:Nothing changed, a child went missing, but they might say that two went missing as they are looking for another child. They went separately yet together.

Adalia: Was Mrs. Abbot pregnant?

Seer: I can't tell as Mrs. Abbot is too close to death. They have one more question before she must leave.



Venus: Can she sense any darkness or deceit from the Tanglewoods?

Seer: The Tanglewoods are drowning in darkness and drowning in sorrow.



The seer offers to let them look in the mirror before they go. Galia warns them that looking in the mirror can be dangerous as some people can get lost when they are looking through time and it can take you a few days to find your way back. They all look, but Galia and Venus are affected by dark visions.

The Queen of the Wyrmwood Court gave the group a small iron key, carefully wrapped in a sheepskin. When they touched the key, they became marked and had agreed to the Faerie Bargain to find the missing children. The key was merely a device to deliver an arcane mark that allows them to activate the door at Iron Key House. Adalia, Belladonna, Venus, Carindrina, and Nira all took keys.

Grimmur: I have been practicing really hard with Olive. I set up on the corner and I was practicing with her and some kids came up. There are so many here to compete!!

​

Well I practiced again. Hannah was really interested and sugested I try to get Olive to ride Muffin. We decided we would go tomorrow and work on it.

​

I should have known that last minute changes wouldn't work well. We tried for hours. Hannah, Onyx, and Matthias all tried to help. It didn't work and we all ended up on our buts in the dirt.

​

I am DETERMINED to get Muffin to let Olive ride her. They always get along so well I don't know she is acting up! Maybe it is all the extra people.

You saw a silver ring slipped onto a finger. There was a trail of mushrooms that seemed to glow. You moved on and the pressure around you built and built as the darkness grew deeper until finally your ears popped. A glowing hand, a glowing bull, and a glowing sun appeared before you. Then a bridge over some lava. You see long chains leading into darkness. There is laughter, children’s laughter, but it sounds hollow and distant.The images were quick, small flashes, then the vision broke.