Journey to Vos and Chaos

After slaying Old Man Brackle with the assistance of her youngest son, Deerwhistle, the party spent a night in the Disabled airship nestled in the Cradlewood Forest. They took turns caring for a Piper left behind by a mother who had died in childbirth, with YukonYukonYukon has ranged the cloud-skies longer than most crew members have been alive. He is self-reliant, quietly amused by nearly everything, an… Cornelius ensuring the Piper was safe after fearing DeicidaDeicidaDeicida is a protector because protection is the only shape his penance can still take. Once the consecrated Sentinel of the Argent Temple,… might accidentally smother it in his sleep. As the snow fell outside, they explored the captain's journal they had found, learning about a creature that had escaped from The Manifold of the ship. In the morning, they secured the airship's defenses and left Deerwhistle behind with a promise to return, embarking on their journey towards the town of Vos, where they gazed upon a beautiful lake and translucent green crystals jutting from its depths.

As the party approached the bridgehead, they heard shouting and commotion from a dense crowd gathered around a rough wooden stage. The scene unfolded in a former marketplace, now a gathering place for villagers, all eyes fixed on the platform where Magistrate Blaise Forret Forrenvold stood with authority. Beside him was his massive bodyguard, Sir Romra, while guards stood stoically at the corners of the stage, their expressions hinting at fear. In the center, a shackled man with brown hair faced the crowd, flanked by two hooded executioners wielding a glaive. Behind him, four figures in black robes, their leader's bald head marked with archaic tattoos, added an ominous presence. The party realized they had stumbled upon a public execution.

As the crowd gathered, the robed inquisitor proclaimed Ronan Thatchroot's sentence of death by beheading for violating the Purity of Light Act. Ronan raised his arm to the sky, declaring, "They took my livelihood. They took my pregnant wife, and now they take my life. Don't take your magic; be with the light." Just as the executioner brought the blade down, an inferno erupted around him, igniting chaos among the onlookers, while Ronan lay beheaded.

Amidst the chaos of the town, where flames flickered and guards struggled to maintain order, the party slipped away unnoticed. As they moved quietly through the streets, they observed the terrified expressions of a young guard and the serious demeanor of an older one, both trying to manage the panic around them. The magistrate, cowering behind his bodyguard, displayed a look of cowardice. Recognizing the danger of drawing attention, the party headed towards a modest church, hoping it would provide a safer refuge from the turmoil. With the crowd beginning to dissipate, they made their way north, determined to avoid any confrontation that could expose them to the chaos unfolding around them.

As the party entered Root and Vial apothecary, they were greeted by Piper ThatchrootPiper ThatchrootThe eldest of the four Thatchroot sisters, left to raise her siblings alone after their father Ronan's execution and their mother's death;…, a young girl with tears in her eyes. She revealed that her mother had vanished while foraging in the forest, pregnant and never to return. Piper recounted how her father had gone missing too, leaving her and her sister Bramble to fend for themselves. The atmosphere in the shop was chaotic yet warm, filled with the scents of herbs and the sounds of children playing, but the weight of loss hung heavily in the air. Maribel Thatchroot, another sister, soon appeared, assessing YukonYukonYukon has ranged the cloud-skies longer than most crew members have been alive. He is self-reliant, quietly amused by nearly everything, an… Cornelius's infected bite. The party offered their condolences and support, pledging to help the sisters.

In the dimly lit shop, Maribel approached YukonYukonYukon has ranged the cloud-skies longer than most crew members have been alive. He is self-reliant, quietly amused by nearly everything, an… Cornelius, who was suffering from a foul infection caused by a rat bite. After examining the wound, she grimaced at the smell and declared, "That's a bad infection. We do have something for you." She offered a thick, grape-flavored paste cure, priced at twenty-five gold coins, explaining that they were shutting down the next day. YukonYukonYukon has ranged the cloud-skies longer than most crew members have been alive. He is self-reliant, quietly amused by nearly everything, an… emptied his pockets and handed over the gold, receiving the potion in return. He drank the cure, and almost immediately, his fever broke, ending the disease that had plagued him.

Calcorius Drommens carefully brought forth the sleeping Piper from his makeshift Moby, revealing her to the Thatchroot sisters. Maribel stepped forward with trembling hands, exclaiming, "Piper!" as she reached out to hold the child. As she cradled the Piper in her arms, tears streamed down her face, and she called for her sisters, Bramble and Piper, to join her. The two sisters rushed down, surrounding the Piper, recognizing her as their long-lost sister. They embraced the child they thought they had lost forever.

As the party stood in the shop, a small copper-colored automaton named Fior entered, announcing, "Hello. Hello. My friends, my friends I've been sent by your benefactor to bring you to the wizarding school." Fior's disjointed movements drew the attention of the Thatchroot sisters, who were weeping with joy over the Piper they had just received. HessHessHess has spent most of his very long life in libraries. The Zephyr's Oath is the first interesting thing to happen to him in decades, and h… recognized Fior as a rare caretaker automaton, noting its unusual craftsmanship, typically found only in large towns for the wealthy. The automaton waddled towards the sisters, gently observing the Piper with a rugged yet tender demeanor. The sisters welcomed Fior, eager to introduce their new sibling to the automaton.

As the party emerged from the dense shadows of Cradlewood Forest, they beheld a shimmering lake, its surface dotted with towering translucent green crystals. A long, beautifully carved wooden bridge stretched across the water, leading to the Wizardry School of Vos, nestled against the massive crystals. Nearby structures included the magistrate's house, barracks, a small church, and a cemetery, all framed by the vibrant landscape. As they approached the bridge, they observed intricate murals depicting woodland creatures in harmony, telling a silent story of the forest. They prepared to cross the bridge and enter the world of magic that awaited them.

Fior pulled open a massive double door leading into the Wizardry School, revealing a dimly lit hallway filled with acrid smells. The party followed him up a spiral staircase. Upon reaching the top, Fior approached a large crystal, producing a key from his arm and unlocking a hidden chamber within it. The translucent walls of the chamber revealed the outside world, and at the center stood a large round wooden table surrounded by Thea Margos, Cynthia GoodbarrelCynthia GoodbarrelThe deep gnome proprietor of The Eagle and Child Inn, secretly a sorceress and Resistance member who nearly turned her wrath on the party o…, GuyGuyA bugbear freed from a fighting pit and bound to Gandalar by a lifedebt; once the party subdued and revived him, he marked Gandalar's hideo… the bugbear, a spectacled pixie, an elderly centaur, Benjamin BellBenjamin BellA wizened gnome teacher at the Vos Wizardry School who repeatedly outfitted and guided the party on Resistance missions, including the jail…, an old owl-woman, and the acolyte ZekiZekiZeki is gentle, precise, and unsettlingly brilliant: a soft-spoken cleric who feels disorder like a splinter under the skin. He tends wound…, all gathered in anticipation.

As the party gathered in the room, they noticed a short, quiet acolyte dressed in white robes with red highlights, standing slightly apart from the other robed followers. This individual, identified as ZekiZekiZeki is gentle, precise, and unsettlingly brilliant: a soft-spoken cleric who feels disorder like a splinter under the skin. He tends wound…, sat quietly, seemingly in a trance. The atmosphere shifted when a towering figure, a beautiful older woman in white robes, intervened, asserting, "there's no violence here. No violence here yet," as tensions rose. One member of the party, who had drawn a bow, remained skeptical, but they were beckoned to sit at the table by Thea Margos, who encouraged them to learn more about the situation. The acolyte's quiet demeanor contrasted with the unfolding drama.

In the crystal chamber, Calcorius Drommens drew his bow, aiming it at an acolyte he recognized from a previous beheading. Magnus, a towering goliath woman clad in white robes, intervened, commanding, "There’s no violence here. No violence here yet." She clarified that the acolyte was present on her behalf, prompting Calcorius to lower his weapon, albeit skeptically. As he approached the table, Thea Margos beckoned him to sit, indicating that there was more to learn about the situation at hand. Calcorius complied, still eyeing the acolyte with suspicion as he moved toward the gathering.

Thea Margos, the lizardfolk merchant, accepted the return of her spellbooks and potions, thanking the party for their honesty and trustworthiness. "You've done well," she said, handing each member 20 gold pieces as payment for their efforts. Magnus invited the party to join a growing anti-Empire collective, emphasizing the need for capable fighters to combat The EmpireThe EmpireThe Empire is a governing body associated with the central city-states, known for its prejudiced treatment of marginalized groups, includin…'s oppressive grasp. Benjamin BellBenjamin BellA wizened gnome teacher at the Vos Wizardry School who repeatedly outfitted and guided the party on Resistance missions, including the jail… expressed his interest in collaborating on airship restoration, offering the Scholar’s Crum for lodging and proposing a council in two days to discuss their plans further.