C1E18: Beyond the City Gates
After a long night for many — and for many reasons — the FGC make their way southward towards the beckoning shores of the Menagerie Coast.
The night looks long indeed for the Freaky Grey Company as a badly addled Khorka is watched over by Erash and Planksnapper. The other bed in Khoraka's room remains empty, as Phelan does not return.
Then again, neither does Snow... when she does, she's surprised to find her room empty, and then quickly joins her friends to help get Khoraka to the priest.
The party returns to The Platinum House, where Kumas performs a ritual that restores Khoraka to his senses. He pulls Ferric aside for a few words, and the three of them then proceed back to the Pillow Trove to regroup with their friends.
Snow comes home looking like she's had the best night she can remember in quite a while. Phelan comes home looking like the losing end of a bar brawl.
Erash is anxious to take the sketch he's done of the symbol he recalled from his dream to the Cobalt Soul, to see if they can help him make heads or tails of it. Phelan wakes up enough to refuse to go with them; he was allowed to read the transcript of his "interview" with Eldraham Hardybeak, Emmi, and a control subject. He can't bring himself to face them, Emmi in particular. He excuses himself to sleep it off and the others make their way to The Valley Archive.
The Valley Archive of the Cobalt Soul Before they get past the desk, Emmi and Hardybeak see them and hurry over. Emmi looks slightly less battered than Phelan, but equally exhausted; Hardybeak is... well, an owl... and thus difficult to read. However he's clearly worried about Emmi, who is clearly worried about Phelan (and grouchy with Hardybeak for letting him read the transcript).
Curator Eldrahim Hardybeak.Emmi looks at the sigil and identifies it as a protective circle, some kind of ward or barrier in written form. Very much the sort of work one sees from an Abjurer. The symbol itself means nothing to her, though – she does however tell them that it must indicate the parameters or "rules" of the ward itself, and who is and is not allowed to bypass it. Neither she nor Hardybeak have any idea what the brass orb that Erash saw on the desk might be, either, based on his description.
The Pillow Trove The group then plans for their departure, running some errands and stocking up before returning to the Pillow Trove one last time to collect Phelan and their belongings.
Phelan looks at the symbol Erash sketched and identifies what might be basic Alchemical symbology – a "shorthand" used by alchemists to indicate the fusion of elements that comprise most of their creations, and the methods by which they are conjoined. He identifies signs for fire, the sun (or maybe gold, depending), and blood. Protective circles aren't his thing, but if what Emmi said is correct, then these have something to do with triggering – or bypassing – the ward itself.
Alchemical reference symbology.They take their leave of Zadash, riding south through the rolling fields of the breadbasket of the Empire towards the towering cliffs of the Wyun Gorge.
The Wyun Gate The Wuyn Gorge, just past the Gate.At the great gate, they show the deed granted them by the Princess of the Dwendalian Empire herself; and they are ushered through, into the pass, and towards the warm air and verdant jungles of the Menagerie Coast.