Episode 21: A Triumphant Return [theme music plays]Back to Frandor's KeepArrivalIt's quite the parade that returns to the keep: soldiers in Sumar-Fareen's colors, various warriors and heros, followers of various gods, disheveled ex-slaves grateful to return to civilization, wizards, humans, elves, even a halfling and pixie fairy! The party has been quite tolerant of the chaos - including the ...problematic jokes from the followers of Marlog. "Hey Sumar-Fareen! It's a good thing you've got us here now, you need some more Seamen in your life!" Between that, the grumblings of the halfing merchant, the bossiness of Plishana, the clinginess of the pixie fairy, the ever-more-evidently-not-fantastic music from the bard, the ....yeah, the surly and obnoxious greeting at the gate is actually a welcome sight. Of course, everyone has to go through the checkpoint at the gate. Every. One. Vanessa starts working through how to spell her name. Slowly. Letter. By. Letter. The scribe taking notes eventually gets bored with Vanessa and loudly gives her the correct spelling; she is unironically thankful. So it goes. The rest of the giant group passes through quietly enough, altho those who give only one name (I'm lookin' at you, Auri), do get noted down. Once they are inside, a different sort of chaos breaks out - the buzzing, delighted kind! So many people, rescued at once! Such excitement! People returning to the keep who had been lost for so long! Heroes! Huzzah! The party makes a report to Yadris (along with everyone else), and ...hey, what do they even know about Yadris anyway? Who is that Yadris person anyway?So one of the things the party does with their free time is try and find some stuff out. The party learns:
 Yadris in his Youth The party does not know:
A WeddingIn the evening, while our party is relaxing in the Tilted Keg, a small group of happy soldiers approach the table, and they quickly close on their target: the priestess of Sumar-Fareen. Two of them want to get married. In the Keep. By a priestess who has alread stepped on the local Priest's toes. At least they don't want to convert?
After Vanessa questions the two lovebirds carefully, she gives them some basic advice and then performs a short ceremony for them. Many of the party members are enthusiastic and offer to help:
The Book of Vanessa
Vanessa's ceremony ends with the phrase "For as Long as Love Shall Endure" That is, divorce is okay. A new hireAuri is super happy to be back in human lands, back in civilization, free to spend her time doing whatever she likes. Everyone got some spending money, and she finds a great use for hers: booze. She falls in with a ne'er-do-well named Norm, who is also drinking. Turns out he is alone in the Keep, kind of lost, needs a job, on his last bit of money, etc. Auri is feeling sympathetic tonight, full of comraderie, or maybe alcohol, so she offers to approach her new boss about a job for him! She enlists Jessamine's aid (J: "we can wear her down!"), and the two grab Vanessa right then. Vanessa doesn't think this is a great idea, but Auri lays out how awesome he is, they play on her sympathies, and soon enough, Norm is offered the job. The next morning, Auri wakes up with a hefty hangover and remembers what she did. She finds Norm asleep in a corner, shakes him awake, and tells him "Don't let me down, 'cause if you do, I'll cut your balls off." Rumor and rumor of rumorThe party hears an interesting tidbit: Somewhere in the Keep is a "Wizard" who is actually a learned Sage! Maybe if they find this person, they can learn all about Dwarven War Cats! Speaking of cats, Lori is apparently looking for cats in the Keep. Of any variety. This GM is reminded of Arya trying to catch cats in Game of Thrones. In any case, the Keep does have a population of strays that have somehow managed to make their way onto an island military fortification, but they tend to be very very wary of humans, rangers included. She has little luck so far. She is also keeping an eye out for any rumor of cats. Resupply and ShoppingThe party also takes an opportunity to resupply. They're not sure where they're headed next, but Lori knows some of what they'll need: "Tents and things!" Among other useful things (rope, etc), they get some honey, vinegar, wine, booze (Auri will help carry the booze!) Speaking of Auri, she talks Vanessa out of some more cash for "essential supplies" and goes shopping on her own. After some cautious asking around, she finally makes her way to a seedy inn where she has a bowl of grouse onion stew and asks where she can buy "interesting" stuff. A quarter of an hour later, she is tucking a set of lockpicks and other useful tools into various parts of her clothing and slipping back to the rest of the party. Lori does some shopping in a more brightly lit part of the Keep. She visits the little market square and finds a pair of dawgs she likes! She buys two of what we would call "Rotweiller" puppies: Uhpollo and Diannuh. Okay, she's got a breeding pair now, so ...wait, she doesn't want a breeding pair? What's she going to do?
Lori also picks up restraints, leads, collars, etc. Her planned training:
Quote of the Day"As a priestess of Sumar-fareen, she's not advertising anything that's not available"
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