# 2. Session Two — Thornhollow **In-game start:** Spring 65 [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 01 - The Child in the Cage|← Session 01]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/00 - Home & Navigation/Campaign Home|Campaign Hub]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 03 - Beneath Hy-Soran|Session 03 →]] ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 02/Thornhollow.jpg|780]] > [!abstract]+ TL;DR > - **Rose, the Horse and the Carriage:** She was still playing make-believe as **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Princess Lily]]**, though she briefly muddled the name and called [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] “Princess [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]].” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] corrected her gently. > - **Arrival at Thornhollow:** There was no dominant race, no obvious local bloodline or cultural majority. > - **The Red Willow Tavern:** He had thick black hair and a beard like a lion’s mane, huge horns protruding forward, faintly glowing eyes, and an apron stretched across his enormous frame. > - **Rose the Tavern Assistant:** It was a small moment, but another glimpse into [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s life before the party found her. > - **Rose Overwhelmed:** [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] helped gather coins as [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s assistant, but as the night grew louder and the tavern more crowded, she became uneasy. > - **Rose and Washing:** [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] went to fetch water and a basin, leaving [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. > - **The Theory of the Popping:** The party explained that they had come seeking help with the “[[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]].” > - **Rose Revealed:** [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] explained that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] could now pop at will, but did not know where she went and could not properly control how to return. > [!star]- Memorable Moments > - 😂 **Cute — Rose / Tilly:** Rose is deep into playing **Princess Lily**, briefly muddles the game and calls Tilly **“Princess Tilly”** before being gently corrected. > - 😂 **Drunk — Agaricus:** Agaricus reaches roughly twelve drinks, finally has to stagger outside and only just avoids being sick on Tilly’s floor. > - 🔥 **Savage — Votoran / Sevril:** Sevril talks down to the party as “less intelligent folk”; Votoran points out that if he and all his clever colleagues could solve the problem themselves, they would not currently be asking those same people for help. > - ❤️ **Heartfelt — Votoran / Rose:** Trying to explain what they are searching for, Votoran gives Rose the gentlest version of the truth: **home is not always just a place.** > - 😬 **Tension — Agaricus / Asher:** Agaricus jokes about reclaiming Asher’s ship and becoming captain; Asher’s hand tightens around his blade enough to make clear that the Crimson Leviathan is not a light subject. ## Session Notes ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s Dream During the night, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s mind returned to a recurring dream. He stood aboard **the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Crimson Leviathan|Crimson Leviathan]]**, with the smell of sea salt in his nostrils and the wind on his skin. A magnificent sunset was nearly gone, sinking beneath the horizon as dark storm clouds rolled overhead. Rain fell gently. A storm was coming. There, on the side of the ship, stood **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Captain Varro|Captain Varro]]**. His back was turned. He was singing. Though [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Captain Varro|Varro]] stood alone, it sounded as though seven voices sang at once, each carrying different harmonies and parts of the same song. *I told you of your duty. I told you of the sea. But did I ever tell you what you truly mean to me?* The tune repeated over and over. It was simple. Poetic. There was no hidden meaning. No trick. No secret code. Just feeling. Then [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Captain Varro|Varro]] turned. His stomach had been opened by a clean slice, blood flowing freely from the wound. Yet he showed no pain, no panic and no distress. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] felt the familiar wince. Then the familiar anger. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Captain Varro|Varro]] walked towards him with a thin, fond smile. He placed a hand beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s chin and lifted his face so they looked directly into each other’s eyes. Then he released him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. As he always did, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Captain Varro|Varro]] asked: “Well, boy. Are you going to make things right?” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] answered as he always did. “Aye.” Thunder cracked. Lightning split the dream. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] woke with sweat beading on him, just before dawn. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] Returns to the Ruins No formal watch had been set. With the others still asleep, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] quietly rose and left camp. He headed back towards the ruins of the mansion where he had been staying before the storm dragged him away. It took him time to reach the site, but he knew the way. There, he found the old burned foundations of the mansion. He had already searched the place before and found little of use, so he gathered his tent and belongings, then sat for a while among the ruins. He contemplated his mission. There were people nearby who potentially needed help. But he also had his own job to do. Eventually, he returned towards the others. Before he reached them by foot, the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping phenomenon]] took him again. With a sudden soft pop, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] appeared back among the group just as they were waking and packing. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] asked where he had gone. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] explained that he had retrieved his tent and belongings. The others had thought, for a moment, that he had left them. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], the Horse and the Carriage [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] woke well-rested, perhaps having had the best sleep she had known since her rescue. She was still playing make-believe as **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Princess Lily]]**, though she briefly muddled the name and called [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] “Princess [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]].” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] corrected her gently. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] wanted [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] to be her horse again. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] agreed on one condition: no hitting, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] could use [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]’s hair as reins only if she did not pull too hard. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] accepted this with solemn seriousness, though she soon forgot herself and tugged anyway. As they travelled, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] perched on [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]]’s shoulders and began sharing more fragments of memory. She said she had seen white horses. They pulled a box with big wheels. A carriage. When asked if she had been in one, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] said an **ambassador** had taken her on a trip. The ambassador had taken her from the castle to a “new home.” The party tried to connect this with the ambassador present at the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|Bardic Circle]] event, but [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] could not make that connection. She was too young, too confused, or too traumatised to put the pieces together. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] tried to explain that “home” was not always just a place. Sometimes it was about how you felt. Somewhere you felt safe. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] thought about that for a long moment. Then she smiled. For the first time, perhaps, the idea seemed to land. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Seris Thorne's Mansion|The Burned Mansion]] of [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]] As the party travelled southeast towards the hamlet they had seen in the distance, they passed the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Seris Thorne's Mansion|burned mansion]] where [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] had been investigating. Only the foundations remained. The structure had once been large and impressive, but it had clearly burned down years ago. It was not a recent ruin. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] revealed that the mansion had belonged to **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]]**, an elf and one of the mutineers from his ship, **the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Crimson Leviathan|Crimson Leviathan]]**. She had been one of the instigators. The others questioned him. Was the mutiny against him? Against his captain? Was it over gold? Jewels? Rum? Treasure? The ship itself? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] remained guarded, but more emerged. [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Crimson Leviathan|The Crimson Leviathan]] had sailed the **Pax Oceana**. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]] and others had mutinied. Afterwards, she apparently built the mansion quickly, possibly using stolen wealth from the mutiny. Locals said the mansion had burned around three years ago. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] clarified that he was not a pirate. He was a privateer. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]], naturally, was not especially impressed by the distinction. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] made clear that his purpose was not simply reclaiming a ship. When [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] joked about getting his ship back and becoming captain, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] gripped his blade. “It’s not about the ship.” Whatever happened aboard the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Crimson Leviathan|Crimson Leviathan]] had left deep wounds. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]] was only one piece of it. ### The Red Glow Beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]] As they continued, the party discussed the red glow beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] knew the lake and the surrounding region better than the others. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]] was a vast crater lake formed during **[[The Rose of Igoda/02 - Timeline & History/The Breaking|the Breaking]]**, and the red glow beneath its surface had always been there. Locals did not necessarily fear it as a curse, but they avoided it. Outsiders told stories about it: dragons beneath the water, strange powers, old dangers. People had tried to reach the glow before. Everyone had failed. To [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]]’ people, the red glow was best left alone. It had never harmed them, so they saw no reason to bother it. But now the storm had struck it directly. And after that, reality had begun to tear and fold. Something had changed. ### Arrival at [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] By early afternoon, the party reached a small hamlet called **[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]**. It had perhaps thirty or forty houses scattered across the landscape, with no formal perimeter, no walls, and little in the way of proper roads beyond trodden paths. There were small crop-growing areas, a dock by the lake, and fishing gear, though there were no boats visible. At the centre of the hamlet stood a large tree. It looked out of place. Not corrupted, not ugly, but different. It did not belong among the surrounding trees, and yet somehow felt central to the hamlet’s identity. The people were equally unusual. There was no dominant race, no obvious local bloodline or cultural majority. Humans, orcs, dragonborn, goliaths and others seemed to live side by side. The locals looked at the party with surprise, but not fear. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] did not feel like a normal village. It felt like a collection of people who had all washed up in the same place. A little haven for those who did not belong elsewhere. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa Redwillow]] ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Cassa Redwillow.jpeg|780]] The party was approached by an older woman with brilliant grey hair, warm tanned skin, sparkling earrings and a distinctive wizard-like hat. She introduced herself as **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa Redwillow]]**, mayor of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]. Her gaze was intense, as if she could see more than surface appearances, but her manner was welcoming. She had the air of an old adventurer: rough, warm, strange and far too comfortable with danger. When [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] noticed [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] became shy and hid behind the others. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] did not press. She explained that she had once been an adventurer and had formed [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] herself. She described the hamlet almost as a family, a place where she collected unique individuals because everyone else was boring. The [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping phenomenon]] had reached [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] too. People had appeared and vanished throughout the night, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] seemed less frightened than delighted. She had tried to talk to some of them, though they rarely stayed long enough. She offered the party information, rest and resupply. There was a tavern. There was a shop. And there was a mage who lived in the grander house outside the settlement. His name was **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]**. ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Sevril Yunis.jpg|780]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] described him as a powerful mage, some kind of magic big-shot, but also arrogant and prickly. She admitted he caused no real trouble, but also made it clear she would quite enjoy walloping him if given the chance. Wizards, she said, always thought they had one over you. The key was deception. Get close enough, and suddenly they could not concentrate. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s Questions for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] As the others moved towards the tavern, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] lingered to ask [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] about the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Seris Thorne's Mansion|burned mansion]]. He asked whether she knew anyone who had been in the area around three years ago, specifically someone connected to the mansion. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] recognised the place. It had belonged to **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]]**. She described [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]] as wealthy, reclusive and separate from the people of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]. She had brought her own people, had the mansion built quickly, and rarely came into the hamlet. Supplies were brought to her rather than purchased locally. The last anyone had seen of [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]] was around the time of the fire. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] did not have much more information. If [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] had hoped the hamlet held easy answers, it did not. But [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]]’s name was known here. That was something. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] Tavern ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Trekor Loranian.jpeg|780]] The party made their way to the local tavern: **[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]]**. It was small, humble and far inferior to the taverns [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] knew. Inside, the first thing they saw was a hulking minotaur behind the bar. This was **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]]**. He had thick black hair and a beard like a lion’s mane, huge horns protruding forward, faintly glowing eyes, and an apron stretched across his enormous frame. His hands were hard-worked, and his presence was naturally intimidating. But he clearly knew that. When the party entered, he tried to soften himself, offering a loud but awkward welcome. “Newbies, what can I get ya?” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] immediately judged the state of the tavern. It was quiet, dusty and lifeless. There were only a few tables and no real atmosphere. She told [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] that he was scaring off his customers and that the place needed a proper tavern maid. To [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]], taverns were not just businesses. They were the heart of a community. Seeing one neglected clearly struck a nerve. She offered [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] a deal. She would work the tavern for one evening. If she made more money in one night than he had made in the last week, the party would receive free room, board and drinks. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] agreed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] took over. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] Takes Charge [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] put on a comically oversized apron, folded it down to fit, and began working. She cleaned the bar, swept the floor, washed glasses, opened windows, let in fresh air and light, and rearranged tables to create room for performance later in the evening. Being back in a tavern was therapeutic for her. After days of fear, hunger, flight and uncertainty, she was doing something she understood. Something familiar. Something she was good at. The tavern itself was decorated with old adventuring memorabilia: strange items, pictures of misty mountains, a feather with an eye imprinted on it, and other keepsakes connected to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa Redwillow]]’s past. It became clear that [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] was not just a tavern. It was part of [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]’s story. Part of the strange community she had built. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] the Tavern Assistant [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] joined in as [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s little helper. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] gave her plates to carry, bread and cheese to deliver, and small tasks around the tavern. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] was thrilled, though not especially graceful. She dropped food, spilled drink over herself, and carried on as if nothing had gone wrong. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] noted that this was not very princessy behaviour. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] adjusted the game. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] was now **Tavern Assistant Lily**. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] told her that tavern girls had to be good at singing and asked if she wanted to help with the music later. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] became conflicted. She said she had not been allowed to sing. They had told her off. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] reassured her. No one here would tell her off for singing. She could join in if she wanted, or just watch. It was a small moment, but another glimpse into [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s life before the party found her. Even joy had rules. Even singing had been forbidden. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] Outside While [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] worked, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] sat outside the tavern, listening and watching the hamlet. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] began throwing small bits of paper or rubbish at him to get his attention. When he turned, she asked what he was doing. He told her he was listening. She asked if he liked being outside. He said he did. She asked if he wanted her outside. He said she could stay if she wanted. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] sat beside him for a while, swinging her legs. They did not speak much at first, but eventually she asked if he was sad. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] admitted he should be somewhere else, though he did not know where. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] asked how he would know when he got there. He admitted he did not really know that either. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] found this confusing. So did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]. Then she decided to go back inside and make [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s newly cleaned tavern dirty again. ### The Tavern Fills As evening approached, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] began performing. Music drew people in. The first notable arrival was **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]]**, an old, grumpy orc with a balding head, a shock of mohawk, an ageing beard and an expression that suggested he disapproved of everything. He ordered **moss milk**, a local drink made from fermented moss mixed with honeydew, apparently discovered by [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] in her travels. ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Pockle.jpg|780]] More patrons followed. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] began to fill. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] sang, played and moved through the room, drawing people into the performance. The crowd joined in with familiar songs, drank heavily, danced and laughed. The atmosphere transformed. The tavern came alive. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] whispered to the others that this was a good chance to gather information. Loose tongues remembered more. ### The People of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] As the evening progressed, it became clearer who [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]’s people were. They were not simply villagers. Many were former adventurers. Some had retired. Some were injured. Some were too old to continue. Some had simply reached the point where the life could no longer be lived safely. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]] explained that people ended up here when they could no longer carry on with danger, travel and violence. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] was [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]’s collection. A place for those who once had stories, and perhaps still needed to hear them. That explained the tavern’s mood. Raucous songs entertained them, but what they truly wanted were tales of adventure. So [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] shifted her performance. She sang more epic stories: of **Becklin the Knight**, **Cudgel the dwarf**, and **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Ispin Greenshield|Ispin Greenshield]]**. The crowd responded powerfully. When she sang of [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Ispin Greenshield|Ispin]], the room grew especially focused. The patrons seemed to recognise the name not as some distant legend, but as someone they knew of personally. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] could feel it. They knew him. At the climax of the song, the crowd erupted. Silver and gold were thrown her way. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] had more than earned the party’s stay. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] Overwhelmed [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] helped gather coins as [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s assistant, but as the night grew louder and the tavern more crowded, she became uneasy. This was not ordinary shyness. The noise, movement and attention started to overwhelm her. She liked the stories, especially the cursed ones and the grumpy characters, but the sheer intensity of the room became too much. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] noticed and did not force her to continue. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had enjoyed the work. But she was still a child recovering from captivity, fear and control. There was only so much noise and joy she could carry at once. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] spent much of the evening drinking with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]]. The two formed a strange, drunken friendship. They drank moss milk heavily, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]] remained impressively grumpy regardless of how much he consumed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] eventually drew a symbol in the dirt: a cube or square with a question mark. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]] recognised it. The symbol was tied to **[[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Zxella|Zxella]]**, an ancient pagan god from before [[The Rose of Igoda/02 - Timeline & History/The Breaking|the Breaking]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Zxella|Zxella]] was associated with knowledge, certainty, truth, questions and seeking answers. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]] described him as an old god, but said there was likely no power there now. The gods who held power were those with worship. Without worship, what power could an old forgotten god have? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] revealed only part of why he cared. He was seeking marauders who had destroyed everything he had. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Pockle|Pockle]] suggested that if the symbol was about knowledge and answers, perhaps whoever used it had something they wanted answered. The drinking continued. By the end of it, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] was heavily drunk, about twelve drinks deep, and eventually had to go outside before he was sick on [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s floor. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] While [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] performed and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] drank, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] spoke with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] at the bar. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] became awkward around her, looking away whenever she caught his eye. He did not seem used to affection or romantic attention, and every attempt to act casual only made him more obvious. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] asked him about [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]], the wizard on the hill. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] described him as smart but aloof. Not really his kind of person. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] mostly kept to himself and caused little trouble, but [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] believed he had been sent to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] as some kind of punishment. The mage was arrogant, but useful. Smart. Possibly able to help. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] also told [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]], in broad terms, that they had rescued [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] from a dangerous situation and needed to keep her safe. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] seemed to properly notice [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] then, and softened. He offered rooms for the night and led them upstairs. When he addressed [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], he gave a surprisingly formal bow, hinting at a possible past around courts, soldiers or formal service. Later, with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s encouragement, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] shared an awkward but sweet dance. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] was terrified and flustered, but clearly happy. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] played something rhythmic and simple, letting them move carefully in time. For [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]], it seemed to be a quiet personal victory. ### The Night at [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] By around midnight, the tavern began to empty. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] thanked [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]. She had done exactly what she promised. She had brought the tavern back to life. He gave the party free rooms. There were enough rooms for the group to split up. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] shared one room. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] took separate rooms. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]], drunk and emotionally raw, sat alone in his room and quietly cried, remembering things from his past before eventually slipping into trance. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] sat on his bed, opening and closing his broken compass, watching the needle spin and thinking. In their room, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] whispered while [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] slept. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] shared that the patrons had reacted strongly to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Ispin Greenshield|Ispin]]’s name, as though they knew him. She also noted that the people of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] treated the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping phenomenon]] almost like entertainment. Strange things were exciting to them. They missed adventure, danger and novelty. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] explained that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] thought [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] was smart, arrogant and possibly punished or exiled. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] agreed that speaking to him seemed worthwhile. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] bolted the door and positioned herself near [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s bed, ready to wake if anyone approached or if [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] moved. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] told her she did not always have to be the one sleeping on the floor or keeping watch. They could take turns. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] also spoke a little more about herself. She had not been home for a long time. She had lived between ports and filled in on ships, because ships always needed a cleric. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] asked if it was lonely. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] said it could be, but she rubbed shoulders well enough with most people. During the night, the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] continued in smaller bursts. A squirrel appeared. A frog appeared and flopped around on the floor. At one point, a woman appeared in the other bed in a very private and compromising state, saw them, began to scream, and vanished before the scream fully left her mouth. Aside from these strange intrusions, the night passed safely. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Beacon|The Beacon]] In the morning, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] woke first and went outside to look over the lake, playing his flute. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] woke with a fierce headache from the previous night’s drinking. He left the tavern and went to inspect the strange tree at the centre of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]. There was a carving in the tree. **[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Beacon|The Beacon]].** The carving was old. Standing back and truly observing the tree, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] understood something about it. The tree was different. It did not belong among the other trees. It was unique, strange, out of place. And yet it felt right here. It was an analogy for [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] itself. A place filled with people who did not really belong anywhere else. A place for ex-adventurers, misfits, oddities and people who had survived too much to return to ordinary life. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Beacon|The Beacon]] may have been what first drew [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa Redwillow]] to this place. A marker. A symbol. A gathering point for those with nowhere else to go. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] and Washing That morning, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] suggested that everyone should have a wash. They had been travelling for days, and it was not right for any of them to go around stinking. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s reaction was immediate and frightening. She snapped into a rigid posture, instantly still, as though obeying a forced routine. She began to prepare herself not like a child being asked to wash, but like someone who had been trained to expect something. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] told her to wait. They did not even have water ready. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] looked confused. This was not how washing was supposed to happen. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] went to fetch water and a basin, leaving [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] sat with her and tried to explain that washing could be something nice. Something a person did for themselves, to feel better. It did not have to be something forced. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] became increasingly confused and emotional. She said she **had to be washed**. She did not seem to understand the idea of washing herself, or choosing whether she wanted it. To [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], washing was something done to her. Something regimented. Something required. When [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] told her that if she did not want to, she did not have to, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] could not process it. Then she ran downstairs. When [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] returned and saw [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] gone, she asked what had happened. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] explained. The implication was disturbing. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had not simply been kept in a cage. She had been controlled. Regimented. Handled. Washed by others. Conditioned to obey routines without choice. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] was furious. She wondered what the [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Wilhelm Yen|Maestro]] and the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|Bardic Circle]] had done to her. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] did not speculate too far, but stated the simple truth. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had been in a cage. That alone said enough. ### Breakfast and the Plan The party gathered downstairs for breakfast. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] brought bread, cheese and other simple food, slamming it down with his usual heavy presence while trying to be welcoming. The group discussed the day’s plan. The [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] had not stopped completely, but it seemed to be fading. There were fewer incidents than before, and the first chaotic surge had passed. Still, the phenomenon remained dangerous. They needed to know what had happened. They decided to visit [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]], the mage who lived near the lake. The hope was that he could explain the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]], the storm, the red glow, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s abilities, or perhaps even something about her origin. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], meanwhile, shifted into another make-believe identity: something like [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Fairy Lily]], pretending to have wings and be magical. She skipped about, enjoying the game, while the adults quietly discussed how badly she had been treated. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] made clear that she wanted to get to the bottom of what had happened to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. If it meant eventually going back to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] to bring the [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Wilhelm Yen|Maestro]] down, she would. But for now, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] reminded her that keeping [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] safe meant moving in the opposite direction. ### The Question of Staying Together Before leaving, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] raised a hard question with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]]. What exactly were they doing? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] needed a long-term plan for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] was not simply going to abandon the child. She wanted to find [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s family, or at least somewhere safe and loving where [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] could grow up. She had a home in **New Haven**, but she knew taverns were no place for a child. She had grown up in one herself. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] admitted he was looking for clues. His mission was still one of revenge, or at least justice, against those connected to the mutiny. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]]’ goal seemed similarly grim: finding those who had destroyed everything he had. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] pointed out that a traumatised child did not need to be surrounded by people set on murderous revenge and death. She was not accusing them of wanting to hurt [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] physically. But [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] was already beginning to like them. If they were going to leave, they should leave. They should not bond with her and then break her heart again. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had already been through enough. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Ever Ready|The Ever Ready]] ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Tenix Udovarax.jpeg|780]] Before visiting [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]], the party went to the local shop: **[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Ever Ready|The Ever Ready]]**. The shop was small, intimate and beautifully arranged, like an independent florist whose owner loved every inch of the place. Inside was a tall, slim dragonborn woman with vivid bright skin and piercing yellow eyes. She stood cross-armed, radiating hostility, but with a smirk that suggested some of it was performance. She was sharp, professional and clearly bored by ordinary customers. The party asked for basic travelling supplies: rations, waterskins, a tent, lantern, bedroll, rope and other essentials. The shopkeeper visibly deflated at how boring the request was, but produced the goods. When they asked about more interesting items, she brightened and brought out more unusual stock: - healing potions; - invisibility potions; - a bone flute; - a traveller’s cloak; - a strange magical hat with a wide brim and feather, useful for getting a jump in dangerous situations; - and **lantern moth oil**, which could reveal hidden or invisible creatures within twenty feet for a short time. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] purchased a lesser healing potion at a steep discount, paying ten gold for something usually worth far more. The group also bought a cloak for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], sized more for a halfling or dwarf than a child, but good enough to keep her warmer and drier. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] showed the shopkeeper a strange golden coin marked with a diamond shape and circle. She examined it carefully, searching through memories of lands, peoples and cultures, but did not recognise it. She promised to keep an eye out. The party left with supplies, having spent a modest sum, and headed for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s house. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Sevril's House|Sevril’s House]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s house stood apart from [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] near the lake. It was grander than the other buildings, with two levels, stonework, ornate flourishes and a heavy wooden door. It was not truly noble, but it clearly belonged to someone with comfort, wealth or ego. The party knocked. No answer. They waited. Knocked again. Still nothing. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] circled the house and saw comfortable living quarters inside, including a fireplace and fine furnishings, but no obvious sign of anyone. Then they heard an enormous splash from the lake. A man emerged from the water, absolutely soaking wet and cursing loudly enough to make [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] cover [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s ears. He wore fine robes and a strange belt. As he walked up from the lake, still swearing, he noticed the party at his door. He paused. Then closed his eyes. All the water stripped away from him at once, leaving him dry and composed. This was **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]**. He asked if he could help them, then pushed between them, unlocked his door, and walked inside, leaving it ajar as if expecting them to follow. Inside, he poured himself a drink and sat at his desk. When [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] moved with a hand near his sword, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] calmly told him he would not need it. If he did, they would already be dead. ### The Theory of the Popping The party explained that they had come seeking help with the “[[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]].” [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] called them **transitional**. He had a theory. He pointed out across the lake towards the red glow beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]]. That, he explained, was something special. His order believed the glow came from **[[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] crystals** beneath the lake. These crystals lay below the surface, protected by unnatural mist and a violent [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Underwater Vortex|underwater vortex]]. His order had tried to harvest them for a long time, but no one had succeeded. Magic was difficult underwater. The protections were too strong. The site had become a failure. A punishment. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] had been sent there because his order knew the task was near impossible. His job was to retrieve what no one could retrieve. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]], to him, was effectively a prison. But then the cosmic storm struck. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] believed the lightning had penetrated the protections around the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] and caused the crystals to flare. More importantly, he believed the storm may have broken fragments loose. For the first time, pieces of the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] might be reachable. If the party helped him recover even one fragment, he could send it to his colleague in the city for confirmation. If confirmed, his punishment posting would end. He could finally leave. In exchange, he could help them understand the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] and perhaps stop it. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] Pushes Back [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] was arrogant, dismissive and plainly unimpressed by the party. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] pushed back, pointing out that if [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] and all his clever colleagues could not retrieve the crystals, then perhaps he should not talk down to the “less intelligent folk” whose help he now needed. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] also asked why, if [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] was so wise, he had not already found someone else to do the job. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] adjusted. He became more direct. He needed someone nimble. With water breathing, weights and survival skill, someone might reach the bottom and grab the fragments. The vortex and mist made it too dangerous and too difficult for him to do alone. Their goals aligned. He wanted the crystals. They wanted answers. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] Revealed [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] was not especially interested in the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] for its own sake. She cared about [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. Before telling [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] more, she asked who he was and why they should trust him. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] introduced himself fully as **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril Yunis]]**, a distinguished mage of the **[[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Universal Order|Universal Order]]**. He insisted he had nothing to prove, but after some pressure, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] explained the situation. She and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] had taken a job in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] to steal what they believed was a gem from the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|Bardic Circle]]. Instead, they found [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] locked in a cage. They freed her. They had been on the run ever since. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] explained that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] could now pop at will, but did not know where she went and could not properly control how to return. She also explained [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s fragmented memories: a castle, an ambassador, a carriage, and being taken to a new home. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] realised what they were. They were the ones from the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] incident. He knew that the guards had been alerted. The story travelling outward was that kidnappers had taken a child. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] knew the truth was more complicated. From the city’s view, they had stolen [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. From their view, they had rescued her. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] seemed amused by the chaos. He also mentioned an ambassador named **[[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]]**, potentially connected to the matter of [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] being taken. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s Warning [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] did not know why [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had been kept in a cage. He pointed out that her [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] only seemed to have begun after the storm, meaning it may not have been the original reason she was held. That raised the old question again. If the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] was new, what made [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] valuable before? Why had the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|Bardic Circle]] wanted her? What had they been doing to her? [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] admitted one thing plainly: he did not want to become one of his order’s experiments. He knew people in the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Universal Order|Universal Order]] who performed that kind of work. He knew what could happen to unusual things, unusual people, and unusual magical states. He did not want to be a lab rat. Because [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] himself was also transitional, he was caught in the phenomenon too. That meant he had reason not to expose the party immediately. If his order learned too much, he might be studied along with the rest of them. He agreed not to speak of [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] being there. But he wanted help retrieving [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]]. ### [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]], the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Universal Order|Universal Order]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Niamh|Niamh]] [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] explained more about his order. The **[[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Universal Order|Universal Order]]** had been harvesting [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] crystals from crater sites connected to [[The Rose of Igoda/02 - Timeline & History/The Breaking|the Breaking]]. The crystals were valuable, powerful and central to the order’s ambitions. Their leader, **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Niamh|Niamh]]**, had been conducting experiments with [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]] had always eluded them. The crystals beneath the lake could not be reached, and so [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s posting there had become a punishment — an impossible task designed to trap him. Now the storm had changed that. The [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] beneath the red glow may have fractured. If the party retrieved a fragment, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] could confirm his theory, gain favour, and escape [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]. He admitted there was a catch of sorts: if he were not transitional himself, greed or favour might tempt him to betray them. But because he was caught in the same phenomenon, betrayal would risk exposing himself too. For now, mutual self-interest protected them. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] agreed to help retrieve the fragments. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] agreed on one condition: [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] had to help [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. The deal was uneasy. But it was a way forward. ## Supporting Notes > [!question]- Mysteries / Open Questions > - What exactly is [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]? > - Why was [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] taken from a castle to a “new home”? > - Who was the ambassador who transported [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]? > - Is the ambassador [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]]? > - Why did the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|Bardic Circle]] keep [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] in a cage? > - What was done to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] while she was captive? > - Why was she forbidden from singing? > - Why was washing such a forced and frightening routine for her? > - If [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] only began after the storm, why was she valuable before? > - Can [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] actually help [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]? > - Can [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] be trusted? > - What are [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] crystals capable of? > - Why is [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] found at crater sites from [[The Rose of Igoda/02 - Timeline & History/The Breaking|the Breaking]]? > - What is [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Niamh|Niamh]] doing with [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] experiments? ## Session End State > [!success]- Where Things Stand > - By the end of the session, the party had found temporary safety in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]. > - They had gained food, supplies, rest and local goodwill. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] had restored life to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] for a night. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] had deepened her protective bond with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] had revealed more of his connection to the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Crimson Leviathan|Crimson Leviathan]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] had uncovered the name [[The Rose of Igoda/04 - Gods & Faiths/Zxella|Zxella]] and recognised the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Beacon|Beacon]]’s meaning. > - Most importantly, they had met [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril Yunis]]. > - [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] believes the red glow beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]] is [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]], and that the storm has broken fragments loose beneath the lake. He wants the party to retrieve those fragments from the dangerous [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Underwater Vortex|underwater vortex]]. > - In return, he claims he can help them understand and perhaps stop the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]]. > - The party still does not know whether they can trust him. [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 01 - The Child in the Cage|← Session 01]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/00 - Home & Navigation/Campaign Home|Campaign Hub]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 03 - Beneath Hy-Soran|Session 03 →]]