07. The Tree of Destiny

Date: October 16, 2019
Players: Chris, Tim

Summary

Characters: Arladon, Bard
Other Personas: Tuntau (sylvan elf), Celmina (sylvan elf, healer), Elcaut (sylvan elf, tracker), Aridius (sylvan elf, bower), Tirrianne (dryad)

Background Information

After investigating the second sacrificial site and finding another diary (and leaving it with Asa who will try to read it), the group enters the Forest of a Thousand Wishes and joins Tuntau and the sylvan elves at their camp. During the first night, Roenick is visited by the Grand Master of the Synod of Magikas, who forces an important choice on him. Before his return, Tuntau learns of danger lurking in the north. Bard and Arladon join the elves and leave the camp to investigate.

Apogee 4, Year 810

• In the morning, a scout (Elcaut) arrives at the camp, bringing news that the Sanctum of Five is under attack by rogue fire spirits. Quickly, Tuntau puts a party together. Bard steps in and says that he is coming, to offer what support he can. Tuntau accepts the help reluctantly, assigning Elcaut to guide them.
• Bard decides to leave behind his ax and gauntlets, to be able to move faster. It is early afternoon when Elcaut, Bard and Arladon reach the sanctum. It is an impressive sight: located at the bottom of a huge crater, the sanctum is symmetric, with a big angel oak tree on the outskirts of the crater located at the four cardinal points. In the center, a gigantic angel oak tree rise high above the forest from an elevated platform. All over the sanctum, fires are burning. To Bard and Arlandon's surprise, some of the fires are moving. One, who seems to be keen on reaching the central tree, is especially large, twice as tall as any of the elves trying to stop its advance.
• Elcaut goes ahead to meet up with some of the defenders. This is when Bard feel his pendant warm up. When he takes it out of his armour, he notices it is glowing. Through it, he receives a call for help: the closest of the four angel oak tree is asking for assistance. As they look that way, Bard and Arladon notice moving flames going toward the tree. They rush to its help.
• On their way to the tree, they face their first fire elemental. It is as tall as Bard and charges at them in a surprising fury. Initially, their arrows and sword do little damage, but when a sylvan elf joins them and enchants their weapons with a spell, they defeat the elemental easily. The woman, who can't speak their language, encourages them to go to the tree. They charge ahead.
• As they close in on the tree, they see two elementals merge into one, doubling in size, becoming much taller and larger than even Bard. The group needs to decide if they will move in between the tree and the flames, now to the number of 3, or let it get to the tree and attack it from behind. Bard does not hesitate, and makes his way to the tree. The woman and Araladon follows.
• After a hard fought battle, the three of them defeats the elementals (one major, two tiny).
• Arladon goes to the edge of the platform, and assesses the situation. At the bottom of the crater, the large elemental has grown is size, and is still surrounded by elves, who are trying to keep it from the giant tree. All around the sanctum, elves are trying to put out the fires. Some progress has been made, but the sanctum is not yet saved.
• For his part, Bard feels a pull from the tree. It is calling to him, through his medallion. Keeping the keepsake in his hand, Bard reaches out toward the tree with the other. He is stopped by the elven woman, who grabs his forearm. She tries to explains her concerns, but Bard can't understand her. Luckily, Elcaut joins them shortly thereafter, translating the woman's words. He introduces her as Celmina, a healer, and she is warning Bard that what is happening is uncommon. In fact, if it is what she thinks, it is a very rare occurrence, where a tree reaches out to another being, and asks it to be joined. The link is permanent, after which both recipients share their life force. Elcaut explains that their knowledge of these types of trees, called destinea trees, is limited, as they have never witness a bonding before. Once the situation explained, Elcaut and Celmina steps back. Bard decides to touch the tree...
• Bard enters a haze, where his reality blends with the reality of the tree. Although he hears no words, Bard knows the tree is thanking him for his help. Slowly, he starts to feel the anxiety of the trees around, of their nervousness with the danger attacking them. His sense are heightened. The tree then asks him to bond permanently, promising to share even more after the bond is in place, promising as well to share in Bard's challenges and helping where it can. Bard can't help but think about his addiction. He accepts the bond. Instantly, he is revitalized, all his injuries healed. He also learns that the source of the evil attacking the sanctum is located further south, outside of the crater. He then feels the presence of the dryad, Tirrianne, in the middle of the sanctum, fighting the giant fire elemental. He learns from her that she believes the source of evil in the south must be stopped if the elemental is too be defeated. Then, Bard knows that a larger being is looking down on them, one enveloping the whole of the sanctum. It is Nephythys herself. He feels small, humbled.
• As he steps back from the tree, Bard announces: "It is done." Elcaut and Celmina are in awe, but it is short lived. "We need to go south," says Bard. "We need to stop the source of this evil."
• Lead by Bard and his newly acquired link to his destinea tree, the group moves to the south, leaving the crater.

Main Quests

The Tree of Destiny ( COMPLETED): Protect the tree, and accept the bond.

Side Quests

The Mentor's Secret (Roenick): Investigate Saldoras' life, including his sojourn to Shalème and the reasons why he would not join the Synod of Magikas. Complete tidying house (38% done). Investigate secret lab in the Dragon's Forest.
Symbol in the Dirt (Roenick): Research the strange symbol drawn by Hana in the dirt in front of her house. Roenick is now acquainted with the people at the library. 2nd option is to visit the library in Var Galdin.
The White Finger (Roenick): Figure out what is the nature of the infection that is eating up at his finger. Sage Fidès mentioned it is similar in properties to the black mark of Xemus.
The Ranger (Bard): Find out what happened to the ranger who had a camp east of Hana's house.
The Family Signet Ring (Bard): Find out the history behind Cilia's family ring, as well as its powers.
Nephythys' medallion (Bard): Meet with Tuntau, a sylvan elf living in the Forest of Wishes, to empower medallion.
The Addiction (Bard)( COMPLETED): Bard beats his dependency of drinking by joining with his destinea tree.
The Land Owner (Arladon): Find out what Arladon's father did to the farmers to make them hate him so. Discovered that his father is scared of someone.

Rewards

• All: +30 XP for completing "The Tree of Destiny".
• All: +10 XP for defeating the fire elementals.
• Bard: +25 XP for completing "The Addiction".
• Bard: +2 Aura for bonding with his destinea tree.
• Bard: +15 Reputation with the Rangers of Léatha.
• Arladon: +5 Reputation with the Rangers of Léatha.
• Arladon: +1 Aura for helping protect the sanctum.