Session 44: Wrapping Up In Eladriel Report

The Pit Patrol returns to Eladriel to finally meet with Lord Chamberlain Estadir to report on their mission to slay the Dragon of Eyes in Hartshome Forest. They tell him that they have successfully destroyed her. The Chamberlain grudgingly takes them at their word.

He lets the Patrol know that they have been invited to come and stay at the Royal Palace of Ash. They will have a meeting with Cabron Elf-King in the morning where he will give them gifts and thanks for their contributions to the Kingdom of Amredhel. The Patrollers are somewhat suspicious of Estadir's motives, but they eventually accept the invitation.

An Afternoon in Eladriel

Before they go to the Palace, they search around the district of Valentine's Flag. They go into shops and D’Wat feels invisible eyes watching him. [T-R01D](person:521b1dbc-cb77-43d8-8ea8-bcd23dcefd8a) purchases a Trident of Fish Command and Thirteen and Oyxuysi Oyxuys split up some Javelins of Lightning. While his cohorts are making their purchases, D'Wat casts Truesight on himself from the Ring of the Gleaming Moon.

He sees a shadowy halfling in a green cloak watching them from a corner of the shop. He locks eyes with D'Wat and nods. Then he touches the golden ring on his finger and teleports away. Before the invisible halfling departs, D'Wat notices that he bears a symbol of the Aleph Zero Syndicate.

As they leave the shop, D'Wat remembers something and reaches down to grab a newspaper. When he opens up the paper, he sees that a copy of the parasitic insert, Aleph Zero Revelations has magically appeared inside of his paper. Among the articles are articles such as: "The Muzzling of Free Speech: How the Concordance Suppresses Dissent!", "The Treason of Soulforged: Why These Abominations Must Be Destroyed!", and "Unmasking the Enforcers: The Bow, The Sword, and The Axe Behind The AZ!"

He realizes that they have come under the observation of the AZ. The Patrollers suspect that Estadir is highly placed in their organization. They leave for the Royal Palace to spend the night, expecting an ambush.

A Fellowship Most Foul

The Patrol are put into sumptuous quarters in the Palace and provided with a marvelous repast of delightful elven food and wine. As they settle in for the night, D'Wat identifies two secret doors leading into their rooms along with the main entrance. He makes sure to lock everything, Oyx sets up magical alarms, and the group sets up shifts of when they'll sleep.

In the third hour after bedtime, the alarm for one of the secret doors goes off and D'Wat goes to investigate. He opens the door to see the halfling, visible this time waiting for him. The Halfling identifies himself as "the Ringbearer", "I recognize your skill fairy of the old blood and I have come to parley."

D'Wat tells the Ringbearer that he agrees with Aleph Zero's principles and the Halfling nods. "I want to believe you, but of course I need proof. You fraternize with our lessers. I believe you when you say it is simply happenstance. If that is so, bring me the head of the "dragonborn" abomination." When D'Wat hesitates, the halfling nods sadly and blinks out of sight.

D'Wat hears the Ringbearer say out loud, "Proceed" and a handsome man with a Sword appears in the hall and strides towards the fairy. The main doors of their guest chambers open as if by magic, and a berserk dwarf with an Ax plows into their rooms. He is followed by an ethereal elf who shoots arrows from a magical Bow into the room.

A battle proceeds in the close quarters of their private rooms. The Bow shoots arrows that bind T-R01d to the ground as the Ax closes with him. The Sword and the Ringbearer use teamwork to engage the elusvie D'wat. As the combat unfolds, the final member of the Fellows appears, a wizard who calls himself "The White."

The Ringbearer blinks out of sight and wounds D'Wat and Thirteen with his shadowy blade, draining the strength from them with each slash. Sensing that the halfling is central to their foes, the Patrol focuses their fire on the spot where their invisible foe stands. The shadowy assassin's form fades away and is sucked up by the ring, which teleports back to the place of its making, pulling the rest of the Fellowship along with it.

Final Audience With the Elf-King

The next morning, the Patrol meets with Cabron who is completely unaware of the struggle that had happened within the walls of his palace. He tells them that Lord Chamberlain Estadir had to leave on business in the middle of the night and apologizes for him not being there. The Patrol tells the King about the attack on them and their suspicions that Estadir is the head of the Root of Eladriel.

The King replied, "I shall take what you say under advisement. I must say that I am not surprised. Estadir served my father before me and he kept my father's secrets as he keeps mine. I know that he believes that he serves the Kingdom, but he has been against my embrace of modernity since the beginning of my reign. Perhaps it is time for a change."

He sighs, then lifts his head. "Regardless of such news, I must now turn my attention to you and the good service you have done for the Kingdom of Amredhel. I hereby pronounce you as 'Friends of the Forest', the borders of Hartshome and Amredhel shall always be open to you. Also, please expect invitations to my wedding in a few months."

"Finally, I grant you these gifts from my royal hand. Lady Thirteen, I present you with the Aegis of the Evergreen which shall protect you from poisons. Sir T-R01d, I give to you the Songbird Familiar, that you may ever remember the delights of our forest. Master Oyxuysi Oyxuys, to you I bequeath the Map of the Whispering Woods so that you will never be lost. And finally, to my Brother of Faerie, D'Wat, I gift you with the Ring of Verdant Vitality, so that the green shall repair your wounds."

"Farewell my friends! I look forward to seeing you at my wedding!"