# 3. Session Three — Beneath Hy-Soran
**In-game start:** Spring 66
[[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 02 - Thornhollow|← Session 02]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/00 - Home & Navigation/Campaign Home|Campaign Hub]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 04 - Return to Berran|Session 04 →]]
![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 03/Hy-Soran Under Lake.jpeg|780]]
> [!abstract]+ TL;DR
> - **Rose and the Glowing Flowers:** She had also spoken before about “bad plants,” tests, and being cut when she stopped them.
> - **The Diving Equipment:** The party would descend towards the red glow, reach the bottom of the crater lake, search the debris field around the vortex, and recover any [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragments broken loose by the storm.
> - **Sofia Appears:** A young woman with silver hair and fine clothing materialised in the middle of the underwater chaos.
> - **Meeting Sofia:** [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] explained, once she could speak, that she had been experiencing involuntary “blips” or teleportations.
> - **The Green Castle:** [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] being called “Princess” may not have been mere make-believe.
> - **Family for Now:** As they prepared to leave [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s house, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] asked a quiet question.
> - **Return to The Red Willow:** [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] served fish stew and bread, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] ate properly, showing signs of refined upbringing.
> - **Evening Wind Down:** It was a powerful promise from someone who had known [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] for almost no time at all.
> [!star]- Memorable Moments
> - ⚔️ **Clutch — Asher / Sofia:** Sofia appears underwater in the middle of the chaos and starts drowning; Asher surges through the debris, gets hold of her and fights all the way back to the surface with her.
> - ❤️ **Promise — Votoran:** Faced with yet another person being thrown into their impossible situation, Votoran gives the kind of promise she keeps making anyway: she will do everything she can to keep her safe.
> - 🤯 **Chaos — Sofia:** Once she can breathe, Sofia explains that appearing underwater was not a deliberate arrival — she has been suffering involuntary **blips** of teleportation she cannot control.
> - 🌿 **Mystery — Agaricus / Rose:** The party realise Rose’s presence directly affects Agaricus’ glowing fungi, causing them to dim or wither whenever she draws near.
## Session Notes
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]]’ Disappearance
Before the dive could begin, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] launched into an impassioned monologue about fungi being the true dominant species of the world.
He spoke of fungal networks, cordyceps, algal blooms and the terrifying potential of organisms that could take over if they ever became truly organised. It was part philosophy, part natural theory, and part alarming fungal sermon.
Then, abruptly, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] vanished.
His body erupted in the familiar glowing red, smoke-like swirl before fading into nothing. The effect was like ink dropped into water, the same kind of visual phenomenon that had accompanied other disappearances since the storm.
Once again, the party had lost a companion to the instability.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] emerged from another room carrying diving equipment, only to notice that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] was gone.
He waited for roughly half an hour.
Then his patience ran out.
Irritated, he decided they would proceed without him.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] and the Glowing Flowers
While [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] prepared the equipment, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] mentioned that she thought she had killed some glowing flowers.
This caught [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s attention.
The detail echoed what the party already knew: [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had reacted strangely to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]]’ glowing fungi, causing them to dim or wither when she drew near. She had also spoken before about “bad plants,” tests, and being cut when she stopped them.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] seemed concerned, intrigued, or both.
He made veiled comments about experiments and the kind of knowledge that could be gained from unusual people and phenomena. He assured the party that he would not harm [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], but his tone did little to comfort them.
He also made it clear that his protection had limits.
If authorities came looking for them and asked questions, he would reveal everything about their arrangement.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] was not a friend.
He was a selfish ally of convenience.
### The Diving Equipment
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] provided the party with what they would need to survive the descent into [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]].
He gave them three weighted belts and a magical ring that allowed underwater breathing. The ring could extend water breathing to as many as ten people for twenty-four hours, but could only be activated once per day.
The plan was dangerous.
The party would descend towards the red glow, reach the bottom of the crater lake, search the debris field around the vortex, and recover any [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragments broken loose by the storm.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] also cast a protective enchantment on [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s coat.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] prepared to go.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] remained behind.
Before they left, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] gave [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] her flute to keep safe, handling it clumsily but with clear trust. The gesture carried weight. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] was leaving something precious with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] while the adults went somewhere dangerous.
The party tied themselves together with rope for safety.
Then they stepped into the lake.
### Into [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]]
The first moments of breathing underwater were deeply unsettling.
The magic worked, but the body did not easily accept it. Instinct screamed that they should not inhale. Eventually, they adjusted to the sensation and continued forward, walking along the lakebed towards the red glow in the distance.
The deeper they went, the steeper the gradient became.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]] was not simply a lake.
It was a crater.
They were descending into the scar left by [[The Rose of Igoda/02 - Timeline & History/The Breaking|the Breaking]].
Ahead, the vortex became visible: a vast underwater storm of debris, silt and dust. Within the chaotic swirl, flashes of red light occasionally flickered like sheet lightning. The water churned violently around the disturbance, and the closer they came, the less useful their weighted belts became.
The currents pulled at them.
The vortex wanted them.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] took the lead. His diving experience proved essential, guiding [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] through the increasingly dangerous waters.
The deeper they swam, the worse the conditions became. Debris whipped past them. Visibility collapsed into a blizzard of silt and darkness. The pressure built. The current dragged.
After several exhausting minutes, they reached the bottom, roughly three hundred feet below the surface.
### The Vortex
At the bottom of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]], the party found a vast sinkhole surrounded by the swirling debris field.
The centre disappeared into blackness.
The vortex churned around it, wild and violent, making every movement difficult. The party searched through the chaos, looking for any sign of [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragments. Every so often, they caught glimpses of small red glows among the debris.
They were in the right place.
But the search was brutal.
Every second near the vortex was dangerous. Every movement had to fight the current. Every glimpse of red light might be a fragment or only a trick of the storm.
Then light burst through the water.
Someone appeared.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] Appears
A young woman with silver hair and fine clothing materialised in the middle of the underwater chaos.
This was **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]**.
She appeared without warning, directly inside the dangerous depths of [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]], and instantly went from ordinary breathing to drowning.
She looked at the party in absolute shock and panic.
She could not breathe.
She had not chosen to be there.
The party immediately recognised the phenomenon. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was another victim of the same [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] instability. She was also likely the mysterious silver-haired woman they had glimpsed several times before, appearing and vanishing around the lake.
But now she had appeared somewhere lethal.
The party faced an immediate choice.
Keep searching for [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]].
Or save her.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] acted without hesitation.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s Rescue
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] surged through the debris-filled water towards [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]].
The current fought him, the vortex pulled at him, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was already running out of air. But [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] reached her, grabbed hold, and began the desperate ascent.
He was racing against suffocation.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] had only moments before her body would fail.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] fought upwards through the violent water, dragging her with him. The climb was brutal. Every second mattered. As they neared the surface, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s eyes began to roll back. Her body went slack.
She was drowning.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] used every scrap of his experience in the water to keep going. He performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the water, forcing air into her before it was too late.
At the surface, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] coughed up water and came back to consciousness.
She was alive.
Barely.
### The [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] Fragment
While [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] rescued [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]], [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] continued the search below.
Despite the chaos, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] managed to locate and secure an [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragment.
It was small, pebble-sized, and glowed with red light.
Exactly what [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] had wanted.
With the fragment recovered and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] rescued, the party made their way back to shore.
They had survived the dive.
They had retrieved [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]].
And they had gained one more person caught in the same strange phenomenon.
### Meeting [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]
Back on the shore, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] was placed on the ground, shivering and recovering from near-drowning.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] used magic to dry everyone off and immediately focused on whether the party had succeeded. His interest in [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s survival was secondary to the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]].
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] explained, once she could speak, that she had been experiencing involuntary “blips” or teleportations. She had been [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] between places without warning, unable to control where she appeared or when she left.
Until now, the phenomenon had been frightening and confusing.
This was the first time it had nearly killed her.
The party realised she was indeed the silver-haired woman they had seen before, appearing and vanishing in the distance since the storm.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] introduced herself to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] as **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Princess Lily]]**.
The web of transitional people had grown.
### Back to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Sevril's House|Sevril’s House]]
The party returned to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s house.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] was eager to examine the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragment. The small red-glowing shard seemed to confirm his theory. Rather than being satisfied, however, he immediately began turning success into leverage.
He wanted the party to take the fragment to his contact in **[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]]** for verification.
This was not what the party wanted to hear.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] was dangerous. The guards were hunting them. [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|The Bardic Circle]] had power there. [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Thieves Guild|The Thieves Guild]] had abandoned them. Returning would mean walking back towards the people looking for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]].
But [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] insisted that verification was essential.
He needed someone in the city to confirm the shard was truly [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]].
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s Questions
At [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s house, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] used the opportunity to ask about his own investigation.
He questioned [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] about wealthy people, strange money, and a woman connected to a mansion that had later burned down.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] was dismissive, but he had useful information.
He mentioned **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Thom Mol|Thom Mol]]**, who was currently residing in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]].
He also questioned how sailors or mutineers could afford mansions, hinting that such wealth was suspicious and likely traceable.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] offered the name **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Barric Hollow|Barric Hollow]]**, a contact in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] who tracked people spending unusual amounts of money. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Barric Hollow|Barric Hollow]] might know more about those who suddenly became rich, bought property, or moved wealth through the city.
For [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]], this was potentially valuable.
His search for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Seris Thorne|Seris Thorne]] and the mutineers now had another lead.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] was not just [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s destination.
It might also hold answers for [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]].
### The Green Castle
The conversation then turned back to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]].
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] mentioned remembering a green castle.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] immediately identified the likely place:
**[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Emerald Palace of Elaris|The Emerald Palace of Elaris]].**
It was made from distinctive green stone and was known as a major seat of power.
This changed everything.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] being called “Princess” may not have been mere make-believe.
She may actually be royalty.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] knew enough of [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]] to confirm its importance. [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]] was a powerful kingdom, one that had split from the old capital of **Daran**. If [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] truly came from the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Emerald Palace of Elaris|Emerald Palace]], then she was connected to one of the most significant powers in the world.
The party began to understand the scale of what they had stumbled into.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had not simply been kidnapped from a family.
She may have been taken from a royal palace.
The ambassador who transported her from the castle to a “new home” may have been connected to her removal.
[[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|The Bardic Circle]] had not just been keeping a strange child.
They may have been hiding a royal one.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s Ultimatum
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] pressed the party again.
He wanted the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragment taken to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Barric Hollow|Barric Hollow]] in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] for verification.
He argued that the transitional shifting could become worse if left unchecked. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s near-death was proof that the phenomenon was dangerous, not merely inconvenient. If [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] continued [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] uncontrollably, people would see her as a freak, or worse.
The party questioned why they should help him when he offered so little in return.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] offered fifty gold pieces.
He also allowed them to keep the ring of water breathing.
Then he bound the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragment with an incantation to prevent it from going missing.
The message was clear: he did not trust them either.
The deal left a sour taste.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] had information they needed, but he was manipulative, selfish and unwilling to expose himself to danger if he could make others do it for him.
The party did not want to simply obey him.
They would make their own decisions.
### Family for Now
As they prepared to leave [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]]’s house, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] asked a quiet question.
Could they be her family for now?
The question landed heavily.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] had no clear understanding of where she belonged, who her real family were, or what had happened to her. But she understood enough to know she wanted people.
People who stayed.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Votoran|Votoran]] promised to keep her safe no matter what happened.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] also showed particular attachment to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]], despite his gruffness and guarded manner. Perhaps because he had been kind in small ways. Perhaps because he had given her a toy. Perhaps because she saw sadness in him and trusted it.
Whatever the reason, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] was bonding with the group.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]] had warned this would happen.
Now it was happening.
And none of them could pretend it did not matter.
### Journey Back to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]]
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] set off towards [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]], with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] struggling to keep up with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]]’s long stride and heavy gait.
By the time they approached the hamlet, it was around five in the evening.
Music drifted from the town.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] sounded livelier than before.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s performance at [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] had clearly left a mark. The tavern had not simply returned to silence after she left. Something had been stirred awake in the community.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] found **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa Redwillow]]** watching the town’s activities with an air of boredom.
![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Cassa Redwillow.jpeg|780]]
They asked her for directions to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]].
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] explained that they would need to head northwest, past the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Seris Thorne's Mansion|burned mansion]], through the tree lines, and eventually reach the main road. She warned them to watch out for bandits and gnolls.
She also noticed [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]]’s fine clothing and gold, observing that the group seemed out of their depth in more ways than one.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] mentioned that a gnome bard named **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Eduardo Mujeed|Eduardo]]** had been brought out of retirement and was performing at the tavern.
![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Eduardo Mujeed.jpeg|780]]
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] was alive again.
### Return to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]]
The party reconvened at **[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]] Tavern**.
The place was bustling, busy and far more alive than it had been when they first arrived. Music, drinking, dancing and revelry filled the room, almost too much for the early evening hour.
**[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]]**, the minotaur innkeeper, was enthusiastically serving drinks. He was visibly pleased to see the party return.
![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Trekor Loranian.jpeg|780]]
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] immediately ran to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] when she saw him.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] served fish stew and bread, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] ate properly, showing signs of refined upbringing. Whatever she had been through, some part of her had once been taught manners.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Eduardo Mujeed|Eduardo]], the retired gnome bard, was performing. He proved more interested in flirting than professional conversation, especially with the women, and was difficult to engage seriously.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] took her whistle and ran towards the music, eager to participate.
For a moment, she was simply a child in a busy tavern.
Playing.
Eating.
Listening.
Wanting to join in.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]’s Demonstration
At the tavern, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] demonstrated exactly what kind of place [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] really was.
When she banged on the table, every patron immediately drew weapons.
Blades glowed.
Magical implements appeared.
Some even revealed wings.
The room was full of retired adventurers, but they were far from harmless.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] might look like a strange little hamlet, but it was defended by people who had survived careers of danger, violence and magic. Anyone who threatened the place would quickly learn why its residents had lived long enough to retire.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] offered to look after [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], but she asked pointedly whether the child posed any danger to the community.
It was a fair question.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] was sweet, frightened and vulnerable.
But she was also connected to powerful people, unexplained magic, and a phenomenon that had nearly drowned [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]].
Keeping her safe might put [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] at risk.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]] in the Tavern
During the evening, snippets of conversation continued around the party.
A drunk patron mentioned streets and places in **[[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]]**, along with references to an ancient queen.
With [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s memory of a green castle now linked to the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Emerald Palace of Elaris|Emerald Palace]], anything involving [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]] became significant.
The party had more reason than ever to believe that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s origins were not ordinary.
[[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]] was no longer a distant possibility.
It was becoming the centre of the mystery.
### The Disappearing Patron
As the evening continued, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] witnessed someone disappear in a burst of light.
Smoke-like remnants lingered behind.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] ran to the party, asking if they had seen it.
She was both excited and frightened.
To [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]], [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]] was strange, scary, boring, fun and deeply personal all at once. Seeing someone else vanish in front of her seemed to shake something loose: the realisation that this was not only happening to her, and not only happening quietly.
The phenomenon was still active.
People were still being taken.
And no one truly understood what would happen next.
Despite this, [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] decided she wanted to stay at the tavern rather than leave.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] felt safe.
Or at least safer than anywhere else.
### [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sigil Earl|Sigil Earl]]
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] noticed a suspicious patron named **[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sigil Earl|Sigil Earl]]**.
The man appeared intoxicated, but something about him felt wrong. He was acting strangely, perhaps too deliberately or too aware beneath the surface.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] attempted to investigate by pickpocketing him.
This proved dangerous.
The supposed drunk was not what he appeared to be.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sigil Earl|Sigil Earl]] revealed himself as a **changeling**, and far more capable than expected. He possessed multiple magical and physical abilities, moving with sudden strength and control.
He cast a spell attempting to petrify [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]].
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] resisted through sheer willpower.
The changeling then shoved [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] with surprising force and vanished back into the crowd.
The encounter left more questions than answers.
Why was [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sigil Earl|Sigil Earl]] there?
Was he watching the party?
Was he connected to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], [[The Rose of Igoda/05 - Nations & Regions/Elaris|Elaris]], the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Bardic Circle|Bardic Circle]], the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Universal Order|Universal Order]], or something else entirely?
In [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]], even the suspicious drunks had secrets.
### Evening Wind Down
As the night wore on, the tavern gradually emptied.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] grew tired and asked where she could sleep. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] arranged sleeping accommodations for her.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] fell asleep quickly.
Then, suddenly, she woke alert.
The detail was unsettling, another sign that [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s sense of safety and rest did not work like an ordinary child’s.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] spoke with [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]] about protecting [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Trekor Loranian|Trekor]], gentle despite his intimidating size, pledged that he would lay down his life to keep the child safe.
It was a powerful promise from someone who had known [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] for almost no time at all.
But [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] was a place built by people who understood what it meant to protect the strange, the wounded and the displaced.
The party retired to their rooms for the night.
[[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] kept [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Tilly|Tilly]]’s flute with her as a comfort.
The next morning would bring decisions.
[[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] waited.
So did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Barric Hollow|Barric Hollow]].
So did the danger of returning towards those hunting [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]].
## Supporting Notes
> [!question]- Mysteries / Open Questions
> - Where did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Agaricus|Agaricus]] go when he vanished?
> - Why does [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] affect glowing plants and fungi?
> - What exactly did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] mean when she said she killed the glowing flowers?
> - What experiments were done on [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] before the party found her?
> - What is [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] truly capable of?
> - Did [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] cause the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|popping]], or did it amplify something already present?
> - What lies at the bottom of the sinkhole beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]]?
> - Why did [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] keep appearing near the party?
> - Why did the phenomenon place [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] underwater this time?
> - Can the [[The Rose of Igoda/10 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|transitional popping]] become more dangerous over time?
> - Can [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] actually stop it?
> - Can [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] be trusted with the [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragment?
> - What does [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Niamh|Niamh]] intend to do with [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]]?
> - What is the [[The Rose of Igoda/06 - Factions & Organisations/The Universal Order|Universal Order]]’s real purpose?
## Session End State
> [!success]- Where Things Stand
> - By the end of the session, the party had successfully retrieved an [[The Rose of Igoda/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] fragment from beneath [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Hy-Soran|Hy-Soran]] and rescued [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Sofia|Sofia]] from drowning after she appeared underwater.
> - [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sevril Yunis|Sevril]] confirmed that the fragment may be the proof he needs, but he now wants the party to take it to [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Barric Hollow|Barric Hollow]] in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] for verification. He offers gold, allows them to keep the ring of water breathing, and binds the fragment with magic, but his motives remain selfish and his trustworthiness uncertain.
> - [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]]’s memory of a green castle points strongly towards the [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Emerald Palace of Elaris|Emerald Palace of Elaris]], suggesting she may truly be royal.
> - The party returns to [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] and [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/The Red Willow|The Red Willow]], where the hamlet’s strange community proves both welcoming and heavily defended. [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] feels safer there, but strange disappearances continue, and [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Sigil Earl|Sigil Earl]]’s attack on [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07a - Player Characters/Asher|Asher]] shows that threats may already be moving among them.
> - The party now faces a difficult choice.
> - Stay in [[The Rose of Igoda/08 - Locations/Thornhollow|Thornhollow]] and protect [[The Rose of Igoda/07 - Characters/07b - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]].
[[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 02 - Thornhollow|← Session 02]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/00 - Home & Navigation/Campaign Home|Campaign Hub]] · [[The Rose of Igoda/13 - Session Notes/Session 04 - Return to Berran|Session 04 →]]