Investigate Waypoint Resource

Dryali, Fine Branch, Tai, and Ana had been talking to Arnari, chief of the Cliffshadow Freelancers, about a mission prior to the Tumultuous holiday, and she'd given them these choices:

• Recheck the pollution upriver from Lakeview.  It still pays 50gp/each + 1 uncommon potion.
• House Aldous wants more hippogryph eggs.  100gp/egg, or 120gp/egg for destrier hippogryphs, and 10 eggs for a trained gelding.
• Investigate the disposition of the Daystar lotion on Waypoint Resource.  The Church of Storms and Church of Ua are still unhappy.  They will pay 200gp/person.  While there, pretend you are not from Church of Storms, but if problems arise, they will get you out of jail.
• Taliesin of Orderly Stones Monastery is reporting mountain lions are attacking his goats now, and will pay 100gp/head of these lions.

The four Freelancers hadn't yet decided what they would do, and they returned to Arnari's office to sort it, while a storm raged outside.  Dryali's grey-blue skin was tinged a little green; the diminutive Dark elf really shouldn't have tried to keep pace drinking with the much bigger Kaikoa during the holiday celebrations.  His goggles were pushed up on his forehead because of the pounding headache.  Fine Branch brought a pillow this time, and put it under his ass as he sat on one of Arnari's uncomfortable guest chairs.  She rolled her eyes, and the nekomata stared at her impudently, his twin tails waving lazily.  Tai stood in the back, the big Silver dragonborn crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

Ana was thinking about acquiring a flying mount of her own.  "Hippogryph hunting," she ventured somewhat imperatively, breaking the tableau.

Dryali stared at the Maker gnome, then out the window at the downpour.  "Resource," he countered, "The others involve camping out in the rain."  A look of horror crossed Ana's face, and she said "Resource," in the exact same tone she'd said "hippogryph hunting."

"No real preference," Tai said pointedly, and Fine Branch added brightly, "I can pick at random!"

Arnari gathered her papers.  "Resource, then, while it's still favorable."  The dark-coloured half-elf set most of the papers aside, then used a key to open a drawer, and pulled out a pouch.  She consulted a manifest and continued, her voice melodious from years of bardic training, "To get there, you'll be taking the air elemental airship Braidwood, captained by Yacuanquer Constellation, a Mikumwes woman.  Four days later you'll be picked up by the fire elemental airship Boll, captained by Radu, a human man."   She came around the desk and handed them a token, tamper-proof like Freelancer badges, imbued with a moving image of a supercell and lightning.  "Use this, if the situation is dire."  Dryali took it and stowed it in his leaded badge case.

As they got up and left her office, she called after them, "I look forward to hearing about your findings upon your return."

Well over a year previously, Fine Branch had stopped at Waypoint Resource on his way to Duquesne from Zephyr, and he now gathered light coloured clothing for his time there.  He urged others to do the same.  Dryali, who spent more time curating his look in black leathers than he cared to admit, ignored this advice.  However, not wanting to do without ice wine for such a long trip, Dryali bought a flask and filled it with ice wine before he left.

Other than that, the Freelancers were packed and ready in plenty of time to get berths on the Braidwood.  Captain Yacuanquer welcomed them, and once the last of the cargo was loaded, they were underway.  Even better, the weather was clearing up, and the observation deck had a nice view of the lower side of Duquesne as the Braidwood pulled away while the eastern part of the skylith was dayside.  Hungover Dryali did not really appreciate the view, but Tai and Fine Branch especially enjoyed it, since the ceiling belowdecks was 5'9".

The next day, they emerged on deck to see the airship was heading for a line of clouds.  The crew was busy, and one of the crew told the Freelancers, "We must go through the storm; you'd best not be on the observation deck."  Startled, the males headed belowdeck, but Ana, whose family was known for navigation instruments, went to Captain Yacuanquer.  "I can perhaps help navigate around the storm," she told the captain.  She was unable to, but she did help chart around its worst effects.

The storm lasted through the next couple of days and well into the third.  The turbulence prevented Dryali from fully recovering from his hangover, he continued to feel queasy.  Tai and Fine Branch were very airsick; they both kept bonking their head on the cabin ceiling.  Ana was fine, but feeling the three of them were poor companions.

Once the storm cleared up the Freelancers emerged on the airship's deck to see Duquesne in the distance and slightly above them.  Straight in front of them, partially obscured by clouds, was Pembroke.  <Narrator voice:  I really need a simulator for this.>  They could feel the tug of inertia as the airship was slightly going towards port.

Captain Yacuanquer was far less busy, and they asked her what to expect when they got there.  The halfling explained Waypoint Resource was mostly barren: the station complex itself was flat and mostly underground, but the skylith was salted, with many tricky canyons.  "Someone thought they were funny," she explained about the name, "Two centuries ago, a salt thalassa washed over it."  The Braidwood was dropping off food, water, and ship repair supplies.

Dryali:  will it be raining?
Captain:  Resource doesn't get a lot of rain.  The stormy season brings wind, not rain.  Because it's so hot and dry, around noontime there's a siesta.
Tai:  is there duststorms?
Captain:  yes there are!  Because of this, a lot of the complex is underground.

Later, Fine Branch came up with the cover story for their visit:  "We're here on behalf of a mining consortium, setting up a processing centre.  Maybe turn the salt into an actual resource; but processing ore, we can't really damage the place."

Once the airship stopped bending portward, it started to rise again; they found the air warming, as the airship was spending less time shadowed by the central storm.  Tai, sadly, ditched his bearskin cape.  On the seventh day, the Captain said, "There it is," and pointed out a dot in the distance.

The skylith remained a dot for a long time, until the Braidwood was very close, and then they saw a small object, kind of the shape of a squashed ball of mud someone had poured water over, and then baked in the oven.  A different colour, though: much paler, with the occasional almost-sparkle in the daylight.

The airship rushed up to it, then matched speed, and actually landed on the ground!  The surroundings were very flat, the ground chewed up and devoid of flora.  People emerged from 3 rounded, low buildings and secured the airship, and others followed to help unload.

The Freelancers helped with the unloading too.  Dryali and Fine Branch kept an eye out for any Daystar lotion in the holds and the warehouse, but did not see anything.  Fine Branch looked at the Waypoint personnel for unnatural tan… they all looked pretty sunburned or windburned.  They started looking for people who weren't quite as chapped, and three warehouse staff stood out:  the quartermaster, a human named Patisson; as well as a quinametzin man and a female Wild elf.

Ana had not signed up to spend her life doing physical labour, and stopped helping as soon as she could.  Ducking behind some pallets in the warehouse, she spent ten minutes on a ritual to cast detect magic.  She noticed faint traces of magic on the not-chapped people:  some abjuration, some enchantment… i.e. the signature for Daystar lotion.  The quartermaster's office also lit up: some abjuration, evocation, enchantment… these were not the same sources as on the belotioned people.  She figured magic items in a strongbox.

Fine Branch took Nighthawk out of the hold over to the stables, the only low stone building from which people hadn't emerged to help unload.  The stablemaster, a Djogeon halfling woman with dark brown hair and eyes to match, was cheerful and friendly, and happy to have care of Nighthawk in the mostly empty stable.

The Braidwood had finished unloading, and the quartermaster was directing some other items be loaded onto it, as the Freelancers removed their belongings and bade the Captain farewell.  Then, everyone went underground and the airship was underway again.  Dryali took off his goggles and rubbed his eyes, then put them away.

The station complex had the warehouse and stable; a small mechanic shop adequate for patch repairs to airships, and a hostel-like setup where everyone lived and travellers could stay.  And, of course, a tavern.  The Freelancers sought out the Waypoint station manager, and soon located Levtri, a male nekomata with lion colouring.  His tails had tufts at the end like a lion, too.

Levtri showed them to a table with promises of food, then asked, "How many nights?  How many rooms?"  They told him, four days, will be picked up by the Boll, and four rooms.  He said, 1gp/room/night, and sent a Wild elf male, Tapkan, to bring out food and beverages whilst Levtri went to get room keys.

On his return he handed each Freelancer a key, asking, "What are you here for?  I like it here, but you don't look like…"

Tai:  we're here to investigate processing for… for mining consortium
Levtri:  what skylith?
Tai:  Duquesne
Levtri:  oh, that would be something!
Fine Branch:  investigate the local labour pool, and constraints.
Levtri:  you heard about the siesta…?
Fine Branch:  yes, but tell me anyway.
Levtri:  because of the heat, people here rise early, then take a siesta, then work late.
Fine Branch:  we need someone to man the facility even then.  Do you know anyone?
Levtri:  no, ugh, I sure don't!  <scratches ear>  I don't know of anyone.

The food they were eating was well-preserved, but… obviously preserved.  As Levtri was talking, the tavern had filled up with the rest of the Waypoint station personnel, and Levtri took his leave.

The Freelancers cast about the full tavern.  Tai and Dryali saw the people Ana had pointed out sitting together: the quartermaster, 3 warehouse workers, and a male half-elf stablehand.  One of the warehouse workers was chapped as seemed normal for the skylith, but the other four at the table were not.  They had beers, and everyone remembered the cargo had also included libations, not just water.

"We should go talk to people," Fine Branch said, "Work the tavern."  Everyone agreed, and these are their stories.  <Narrator voice:  bling bling!>

Dryali talked to the mechanics from the shop, trying to find out about personnel turnover and ship schedules.  The chief mechanic was Soukaev, a human man, and at his table was a human woman, Nauta, who was another mechanic in the shop.

"People either stay forever or leave really quickly," Sukaev told him, "Those that do, leave within a quarter."  Ships came in regular supply runs every 2 primes, Dryali found out; otherwise one or two ships per prime.  "About half of which are repair," Nauta noted.

Tai went to talk to the warehouse folks.  "That sure was some work this afternoon!" he exclaimed, then explained the environment and heat was unnatural to Silver dragonborn, and he wasn't sure how to deal.

The warehouse worker with the chapped skin, whose name was Bindi, told him, "Most people stay inside during the heat of the day, especially if it's windy out."

The Wild elf, Styria, lowered her voice and said, "We have some special lotion that helps, but not enough to share."  The quinametzin, Golias, added in the same tone, "We can show you, we have a special way to apply."

Tai scowled.  "If it's so special, maybe I could get my own."

"Tell you what," Patisson leaned forward conspiratorially.  His glance included both Tai and Bindi.  "Meet us behind the warehouse during the siesta, if it's not windy."  Tai tilted his head.  "Oooookaayy."

Fine Branch joined the stablemaster, Imedia, to talk about provisioning.  He asked about provisions that would need to be added, if the Waypoint took on an additional 20-30 beasts of burden.  She looked at him, eyes widening in surprise.

"This is speculative," he clarified, "Don't assume this will happen."  But Imedia was shaking her head, "No, too much salt," she said.  "So much water… cannot miss even one shipment.

"Have heard of desert skyliths," she continued, "but the salt here, there's not much other.  Then, scorpions and cacti…" her voice trailed off.  Fine Branch took out a small notebook and wrote down "giant scorpions" in a way she would be sure to see.

Imedia changed the subject, and told Fine Branch how happy she was to have Nighthawk in her stable.  Fine Branch seized this chance to propose a tour of the skylith on the hippogryph, and she happily agreed.

Ana talked to the tavern staff about food supply and scaling up for more people.  She opened with an insincere compliment, "You've done a great job out here, with what you get."

A lanky human man, Pintar, actually blushed.  "I really like cooking, but I have no supplies," he said, but could not continue as the blush deepened, reaching to the edges of his thick black hair.  Tapkan patted his shoulder.

Addressing Ana's questions, Levtri said, "It depends on the supply ships.  They come from different skyliths – Duquesne, Pembroke, Commerce, Zephyr, Bizarre –" Pintar cut him off, "I like the variety!  Also, we have fish left over from Kizil!"  Ana reached over and patted Pintar on the head, and he blushed again.

The evening was winding down, and the tavern was starting to empty out as people went to bed because of having to get up early.  The Freelancers started heading to their rooms too, but Dryali cast detect magic and wandered the hallways between the rooms.  He got 4 hits on the magical mix indicating Daystar lotion; one was in a big room, probably the quartermaster's.  He noticed the Freelancers' items, and also others with magic items, especially mechanics.  This latter was mostly abjuration charms, and he thought it might be heat resistance.

He got back to find the others all gathered in Tai's room.  He relayed what he found.

Ana:  do we want to find and destroy the lotion?
Dryali:  maybe not; this place seems the only place could use it
Tai:  am going to find out where to get more, tomorrow
Fine Branch:  usage might not be related to cult participation
Dryali:  true
Ana:  true

They discussed briefly the hope and interest flaring in the people with whom they'd discussed the mining consortium and ore processing, wondering what could be done for the desolate skylith, and maybe actually sending their findings on to wherever there was one.  Maybe Pembroke?  After that, they all withdrew to their rooms to rest.

The next morning, they rose to discover the wind howling overhead, the sound penetrating even into the underground rooms.  An occasional boom echoed from faraway lightning.  Everyone sheltered in the tavern, except for Imedia and Cushaw, the half-elf stablehand, who secured the stables first.  "It's gross out" was a common refrain.

Around noon, lightning actually struck the building.  Fine Branch puffed up, exclaiming, "Is this normal?!"  The others reassured him, "It's not abnormal, after Tumultuous."  But, nobody was going anywhere, so Tai's mysterious meeting would have to wait.

Fine Branch wondered if the folks with the Daystar lotions were using it when they didn't have to go outside.  He cast detect magic to check; it seemed they were not.

Since everyone was stuck inside, Pintar prepared fish stew before siesta, using "special spices from Duquesne."

The day and night passed slowly – Resource's revolution was 26 hours – but the next day was clear, local to the skylith.  The sky far above had rain clouds, but the rain blew off long before it reached the waypoint, leaving the entire place dry.

Upon observing the weather, Fine Branch asked the others, "Should I take the stablemaster on the hippogryph, then?"  Tai said not yet; "I'm to meet Patisson to join them for some lotions.  I'm going on my own," he added.

"Well, I will follow, casting invisibility on myself," Ana added matter-of-factly.  "I can help with that," Fine Branch told her.

At that, it was time for the meal before siesta, and Pintar went all out to impress the cute gnome, baking chicken pot pie.  Ana complimented him on his cooking again, and was rewarded by a huge blush, creeping up from under his collar.  "Oh, thanks," he barely got out.

After the meal, everyone got ready for the siesta, retiring to their rooms, or at least appearing to do so.  Tai headed off behind the warehouse, to find Patisson and the four others from the table the night before last, including Bindi.

Meanwhile, Fine Branch called upon The Cat to grant Ana Blessings of the Trickster, allowing her to be extra stealthy for an hour.  Fine Branch withdrew to his room for a catnap, then Ana cast invisibility on herself, and tailed Tai.

She caught up to him right as Patisson was saying, "So glad you could make it.  The lotion really helps your skin against the Daystar.  We don't keep it nearby… and also there's a special place to apply it."  He headed off, leading the others towards the canyons.

The walk was short, maybe 20 minutes, but with the heat, the sand, dust, and grit, it was awful.  They got to a side canyon, with a cave in the rock walls, and Patisson stopped.  He pulled out of the cave blankets, tarps, and a crate with lotion bottles in it.  Ana hid behind nearby rock.

"Just put your clothes here," he directed the others, but especially Tai and Bindi, "we'll show you how to do this properly."

Tai and Ana watched in silent horror as Patisson and the others showed Tai and Bindi just exactly how special the place was that they applied the lotion.  They'd heard the other Freelancers talking about it in the tavern, but were sure it had been a euphemism.  It wasn't.

Tai, cornered by his social situation, also put on the lotion.  Ana was entirely horrified; this was not a side of Tai she'd seen.  She managed to stay quiet, even after the quinametzin, Golias, shifted such that she had full view of his hairy, lotioned-up, butthole… an unpleasant surprise given his smooth, tattooed skin.

Fifteen minutes passed, with Ana watching over the others who had assumed the position, then, Patisson scrambled to his feet.  "Oh!  She came!  Tai and Bindi, you get to meet her!"  They sat up, grateful for the interruption, to see at the other end of the canyon, a creature approaching languorously on four legs.  She appeared to be half-lion, half-human, like a centaur.

Patisson practically fawned on her.  "O Siress, I'm so glad you could make it.  Thank you for joining us!"  The creature took up one of the lotion bottles, and applied the lotion on all the human parts.  Then she spoke, her voice pleasant and sultry.  "So glad you could make it.  So important to praise the Daystar."

Patisson told her, "Here are two new people, Tai and Bindi," gesturing towards them.  Siress regarded them, and declared how mete it was that they joined in celebrating the glory of the Daystar, from which all blessings flow.  She went on in this vein for about 10 minutes, as Tai and Bindi became increasingly uncomfortable, at about which time, Patisson laid down again and re-assumed the position.

Siress laid down next to him, freeing Tai and Bindi also to lay back down, but she and Patisson kept talking about how wonderful the Daystar was and how happy they were.

More time passed, and everyone fussed.  Siesta would end; they must get back before they were missed.  As they packed up, Ana shifted to hide in the cave, out of the Daystar's rays.

Tai tried to pay attention to the route they took on the way back, but he found it surprisingly difficult.  Once back, they all snuck back into their rooms.  Ana returned behind them all, undetected.

Once the siesta was over, the Freelancers all met up in Ana's room, to find out how it went.

Tai:  people here with powerful lotion, and almost religious devotion to its use.
Ana <frowning>: you missed the most important part!  You missed the lion lady.
Tai:  they were led in their devotions by – think: a centaur, but lower half lion.  "Siress"
Ana:  we should ask lion lady
Tai:  we should find out if there are other places for airships to come in.
Dryali:  why?
Tai:  I'm thinking, maybe another place for lotion to come through here other than Resource.
Dryali:  did this lion lady look like she lived on her own?
Ana:  yeah <to Fine Branch> if you're going on a ride, maybe check out where she came from

Ana gave Fine Branch directions, and he took his leave and sought out Imedia, who was happy to go on a flying tour on Nighthawk.  He asked if any protection was needed against the Daystar's intensity.

Imedia gestured at herself.   She was in layers of light clothing, and was fastening the chin strap on a floppy hat.  "I do not know any other way to deal with the Daystar," the halfling told Fine Branch, "unless you have magic."  The nekomata shook his head.  "None that protects against radiance."

He lifted the halfling up to Nighthawk's back, then mounted, and they took flight.  Imedia was delighted, but warned him, "Don't fly too high; the skylith is small, and the boundary is close."

The view was amazing; beyond the relatively flat portion of the Waypoint station, there were weird rocks and wind-carved canyons; salt formations that glittered; very little flora or any fauna visible from above.  The skylith was perhaps 4 miles across total.  Imedia had flown above the skylith before; she pointed out some of her favorite aspects of it.  Fine Branch noted, at the southern edge, there was a place where a good airship pilot could land in need.

Listening to Imedia explain sights of interest on Resource, Fine Branch concluded she was not hiding anything, and honestly appreciated the natural beauty of the skylith.  He had Nighthawk circle back from the edge and fly across from the station, over the canyon Ana and Tai had described.  He did not see a tarp, but located the cave.  Any tracks had been brushed out by the wind which had picked up.

Beyond the canyon opened up into a broader space, and Imedia pointed out a pretty arch formation.  Fine Branch, gazing on it, realized the sides of the canyon had many cave entrances, which could potentially house many creatures or people.  He said nothing.

After about an hour, the wind was strong enough to interfere, and there is only so much flying to do around a 4-mile skylith, so they returned to the stables.  "Exhilarating!" Imedia thanked him.

Meanwhile, Dryali went back to talk shop with the mechanics.  He was fascinated by the different challenges they encountered repairing ships with all the dryness and grit, but framed the question in terms of if there was an ore processing operation, what kind of repairs should they plan for.  Also, he wondered, since visiting ships land directly on the skylith, where else could a ship land?  The mechanics were happy to grouse about their repair stories, but were dubious about another landing spot.  "Maybe, the other end of the skylith?" one said, grimacing, "but, there's no reason to."

Dinner that evening was really good.  Dryali and Fine Branch overheard people commenting that "Pintar is going all out!"  Unfortunately for Pintar, even Ana had considered acting on his obvious crush, she was still traumatized by her sight of Golias' hairy butthole, and said so to the others, quietly.

Tai looked sheepish.  "Sorry to put you through all that," he apologised.  He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, then added, "Wish they had showers here."

After dinner, they met back up in Tai's room.

Dryali:  should we destroy it?
Tai:  I want to find out where they are getting it, who is their supplier.
Dryali:  wouldn't that [destroying it] force the supplier issue?
Tai:  not if it's not that often.
Ana:  it would be weird.
<everyone considers>
Ana:  maybe stake out the butthole spot.
Dryali:  want to find out about the lion lady.
Ana:  yeah

Having decided upon this vague plan, they retired to their respective rooms to rest up for the next day.

The morning started out stormy, the booming wind and thunder providing ambience for the Waypoint station's breakfast, but the storm receded as the morning wore on, leaving the surface side bright and still by late morning.

With such nice weather, Fine Branch declared he would take Nighthawk out again, and made a big deal about gathering food and supplies to spend the siesta topside.  He took off.

Dryali and Ana also decided to take a walk topside, and he checked with the station quartermaster for a hat similar to Imedia's.  Patisson had nothing but a cream-coloured wide-brimmed floppy hat, with fabric flowers on the headband of the same colour.  Grimacing, Dryali bought it anyhow for 2sp, and Patisson warned Dryali of the dangers of wandering the skylith unaccompanied during siesta time.  Dryali assured him he'd return by then.

Ana and Dryali departed for their walk, Dryali jamming the hat on his head as soon as they emerged into the brightness.  It messed up his hair gel and he looked ridiculous; and he bitched at Ana about it.  Ana did not want to hear it, she was outside, in this dust and grit again, going to stake out the place of buttholes, and it was hot.  Dryali wished she hadn't said that, as his black leathers were the entirely wrong thing to be wearing in the direct light of the Daystar, and now he was hot.  So the bitching continued for the next 20 minutes, until they got to the entrance of the canyon.

Ana went into the canyon, hiding behind her boulder again; Dryali scrambled up the left side of the canyon, looking down to the entrance of the cave, the Daystar behind him.  Fine Branch and Nighthawk were already there.  Everyone settled down to wait.

They did not have to wait long; the three Freelancers saw Siress enter the canyon from the far end at the same time Patisson entered the near end, Tai and four others in tow.  They met up at the cave.  Patisson reached for the tarp to uncover the crate of Daystar lotion… and saw the shadow of a cat's head.  He looked up to see Fine Branch and Dryali peering over the canyon's edge.

Nighthawk, sensing his person's sudden tension, stepped up to the edge and mantled.

Staring up at them Siress exclaimed, "Who are you?!  What is this?!  Come down and fight, like real people!"  Despite her annoyance, the challenge was still sultry, persuasive, and caused the Freelancers to hesitate.

The other Daystar worshippers were aware they were facing the group of mining consortium persons who'd come with Tai, and all turned towards Tai.  He was the first to break free of the hesitation, and his roar of rage echoed through the still canyon.  A spirit resembling a flumph materialized next to Patisson, floating.  Tai drew his axe and killed Cushaw, the stablehand, with one blow.  At that, the spirit exploded, injuring Patisson.

• Bindi, Golias, and Styria drew scimitars and attacked Tai.  The Daystar's rays caught the sunbursts etched on the blades and glittered.  Only Golias managed to scratch the raging Silver dragonborn.
• Pattison cried out, "Daystar smite these unbelievers!" casting spiritual weapon in the form of a scimitar, surprising all the Freelancers.  The spiritual weapon attacked Tai and missed.  He cast hold person on Tai, to no effect.
• Fine Branch swooped down on Nighthawk towards Siress, chanting "cats cats cats cats cats cats cats!" to summon the spirit guardian cats.  He cast spiritual weapon in the form of a bare buttocks next to Patisson.  It missed.
• Siress was burned by the spirit guardian cats, much to her displeasure.  She cast mirror image and moved away from Fine Branch.
• Dryali remembered Terrance insisting to him how flammable the Daystar lotion was.  He shot a firebolt at the crate of Daystar lotion, destroying the crate and shattering the bottles.  The lotion, with its inherent fire resistance, of course did not catch on fire, and Dryali concluded Terrance lied.
• Ana, whom the cultists hadn't seen, emerged from behind her rock to cast magic missile at Siress, in sequence, which destroyed the mirror images.

Tai was still raging, and the flumphlike spirit reappeared between Patisson and Golias.  Tai killed Styria with one swing of his axe, and the spirit exploded, injuring Patisson again.

• Golias succumbed to the radiance of the spirit guardian cats, and fell.  Bindi was burned by them as well, but stayed fighting, swinging a scimitar at Tai, but missing.
• Patisson was also burned by the radiance of the spirit guardian cats.  He swung his scimitar at Tai and missed.  He sent the spiritual weapon after Fine Branch, but it missed.  He stepped forward and tried to touch Tai, who avoided it.
• Fine Branch did not like being attacked by spiritual weapon.  He had his spiritual weapon buttocks smack Patisson in the face with force.  Then he cast guiding bolt at Patisson, burning him with holy radiance of The Cat.
  • Nighthawk dodged.
• Siress moved towards the canyon side under Dryali.  She called out to Ana, in a silky voice, "Your friends are betraying you!  Defend me."  Ana's face changed as this imperative sank in.
• Dryali scowled under his floppy hat, and created a force ballista, which crit Siress, shoving her away again.  Siress lost her concentration on Ana.
• Ana was mad at the lion lady!  She sent a 5" orb of energy at her, which settled on thunder before it let loose next to her head.  Siress staggered, putting one hand to her ear.

The flumph spirit rematerialized, and Tai swung his axe at Patisson.  The axe missed, but the spirit again exploded, killing Bindi.

• Patisson succumbed to the radiance of the spirit guardian cats and fell, leaving Tai surrounded by the corpses of 5 Waypoint personnel, hefting a bloody axe.
• Fine Branch cast guiding bolt at Siress, but critfailed and it shot past Dryali's head on the left, narrowly missing his floppy hat.  "Hey!  Watch it!" Dryali called down.  Nighthawk flew over Siress.
• Siress was again burned by the spirit guardian cats, and she looked up at Dryali.  "Your guiding bolt was not cool," she told Fine Branch, staring at Dryali, "They are not your friends."  Dryali ignored the compulsion.

Dryali wanted Siress to run home, leading them there, but was worried about more attempts at suggestion.  The force ballista shot her, wounding her back legs, and he followed up with a firebolt, causing her to fall.

Fine Branch landed on Nighthawk and dismounted, looking at the downed cultists.  He checked Patisson; dead.  Tai started checking the cultists surrounding him.  All dead.  Their well-kept scimitars each had the Daystar starburst symbol etched on their blades, and even Bindi had such a scimitar.

Dryali started climbing down the cliff towards Siress as Fine Branch straightened Patisson's body and waved Tai away.  Tai walked over to Ana and they watched as Fine Branch used disguise self to look like an unnaturally tanned human.  They looked at each other.  Dryali reached the bottom of the cliff and looked over.  "Clever," he said.  To Tai and Ana, who looked puzzled, he added, "That's Mansel."

Dryali walked over to Siress, pulling out a healer's kit, and started stabilizing her, as Fine Branch, disguised as Mansel, cast speak with dead.

Fine Branch: how could you fail me?
Patisson: these people came out of nowhere!  I thought one was my friend.  I thought I was spreading the glory of the Daystar.
Fine Branch: how can The Plan still go forward?
Patisson: <breathless sigh> you've sent the lotion to the other waypoints, and more is coming here.
Fine Branch: who is here to receive it?
Patisson: maybe Siress?  Surely she survived…
Fine Branch: which waypoints?
Patisson:  ...Congress, Fame, Puissant… I dunno all of them.  Got a few transshipments from Congress and moved them on to Fame.
Fine Branch: what would you do if I fell?
Patisson:  <frowns slightly> you know our mutual contact.  Talk to them…

Patisson's voice faded out as his spirit fled.

Fine Branch walked over to Tai and Ana and the three of them walked over to where Dryali had been relieving Siress of her items.  Having stabilized her, he realized she was a liontaur.  She had a lot of jewelry, all gold with yellow gems: a necklace worth 100gp, which had a pale yellow zircon worth 50gp by itself; 2 plain earrings, worth 25gp each; another earring with citrine, worth 75gp; and a bracelet with jasper, worth 100gp.  She also had boots of elvenkind, which somehow blended into her back paws; a +1 daggar; and an ever-smoking bottle.  The daggar also had a yellow gem in the hilt.

Fine Branch asked, "Anyone have hold person?"  Tai declared, "I can hold a person!  I'm really very strong."  Fine Branch's ears went back and his eyes narrowed.  "I have manacles," he started, and Dryali topped that with, "I have manacles and a ball gag."  Ana raised an eyebrow at him.

Fine Branch said, "A ball gag is counter to my plan.  Okay.  Let's manacle the shit out of her, then I will heal her and cast zone of truth."  Dryali said, "Do not expend your spells, I can use earring of Āhua to heal her."

They manacled the unconscious Siress, and then Dryali touched her, awakening the liontaur.  She gazed at him unrepentantly.  Fine Branch cast zone of truth, but to his annoyance she was unaffected, so he cast it again.  Then the Freelancers started to question her.  Every one of her answers was delivered with a tone of sultry drama.

Dryali:  are there more of you on this skylith?
Siress:  I'm sure you'd like to know.
Fine Branch:  you understand you only get out of here alive by answering our questions.
Siress:  I'm willing to die for the Daystar.
Dryali:  why?!
Siress:  it's the Daystar.
Dryali:  it's a star.

Tai brandished his axe.  Siress gazed at him, unimpressed.

Dryali: what are you trying to accomplish, here?
Fine Branch:  So.  we can infer from you there is a colony here, and you know bad things will happen.
Siress:  <looks at each Freelancer deliberately, deeply> I see you.  The Daystar sees you, and will avenge me.
Ana: <immediately casting detect magic.>  A little bit of divine magic, divination magic.
Dryali: who are you really working for?
Siress: <crossly> the Daystar!!! Have you heard of it?!
Ana:  who is telling you what to do, to serve the Daystar?
Siress: it's not just a star, it's important and gives life!
Ana: yeah, but it doesn't give orders.
Tai: <scowling> this is some real warlock-sounding shit.
Fine Branch: divine magic is concerning.
Ana: I've heard of warlocks contracting with divine beings.
Dryali: divine doesn't mean benevolent.
Fine Branch:  it certainly does not.

<Narrator voice:  end of session at the 2-hours-over mark, what's next is from chat>

The Freelancers withdrew from Siress, and contemplated the mutilated corpses of Waypoint personnel they had just been talking to over the pre-siesta meal.  Grimly, Tai and Dryali checked their belongings.  Apart from the scimitars, there were no belongings of note.  Amongst the 5 of them, they had maybe 17gp worth of coin. 

Dryali finally spoke.  "We just killed 5 people out of the 30 that live here, and don't particularly want to become known as skylith raiders.

"How are we going to explain this" – here, Dryali gestured at the bodies – "to those who remain, including disposition of these people's belongings?  How is the hole of their labour contribution going to be filled, because up&running waypoints are important in the big world?  ...even with manacles and such, is it safe to bring Siress back to the station?"

He paused, then added, "How do we get word out of what we've found?  I'm thinking, maybe tell the people at the compound that these others had been mind-tricked somehow – by Siress? – into going out during Daystar zenith like mad dogs, and we found out because they tried to mind-trick Tai."

Tai crossed his arms, but Ana spoke up first, saying, "Agree with Dryali's idea:  'This chick brainwashed your friends, and when we came around asking questions they attacked us without provocation. We’re very sorry we had to kill them, and we buried them'" – here, Ana waved in Siress' direction – "Then we can talk to Church of Storms about recruiting new people for these jobs when we report back."

Fine Branch added, "I was already considering staying here to work as a stevedore, until the Church of Storms can arrange for replacements."  Tai chimed in, "I can stay in town, since I'm good at manual labour."

Dryali scowled, "I'm thinking we should not take this kind of mission again without insisting on a sending stone from Arnari.  Given the resource scarcity, if we bail and they can't unload their ships / maintain the warehouse, they could all die.  I'm thinking waving the Church of Storms badge and saying 'we had license' will backfire (not that either of you suggested it that way)."

Fine Branch replied, "I think I have sending."  Dryali's face showed the first sign of relief since the fight ended, and he reacted, "ooo, that changes things!"

Fine Branch had closed his eyes, searching inward, and opened them again.  "I do.  I'll need a long rest to prepare it, but I have it."

Ana also looked relieved.  "Nice. So we can go back to town, do the apologizing and services, then talk to Arnari in the morning about getting labour (assuming we don’t get run out of town)."

Tai replied, "I think we're unlikely to get run out of town, especially with both Freelancers badges and the token from Church of Storms, and staying to help fill the gap."

He uncrossed his arms, it was too hot, and said, "Anybody else think it's worth trying to taunt Siress with the general unraveling of the Daystar schemes, like with Petersen, and she might as well fill in the gaps because it's not like it's going to last much longer anyway?"

Dryali shook his head, which looked ridiculous in the floppy hat, and said, "No, I don't think so.  We really want to know if there is a community/colony of her people on the skylith, and  do they look to the Daystar.  If they do not, cooperation with the station will be mutually beneficial."  He thought a moment, then added more ominously, "or... not her people but instead Daystar worshipper central.  We already know, um, Julian found out?  (I wasn't there...) that there's Brolin in charge, and someone else…? and he confirmed what I suspected after we unintentionally killed Mansel: there is warlock nonsense happening."

After a brief silence, in which everyone but Siress, several yards away, shifted uncomfortably in the heat, Fine Branch said, "If it's possible to arrange this, I'd like to use sending to reach Arnari before we come back to the Waypoint station.  I can see us waltzing in with Siress and the entire station being all 'you hurt our mascot!'"

Dryali declared, "We should get out of the daylight, if we are not going right back to town."  Tai strongly agreed, and pointed, "We have a cave right here we can use."

Ana countered with, "I suggest that we do something about these bodies before we take a cave nap, because presumably other people come out here every once in awhile."  The others looked stressed, and glanced at Siress, who glared at them.  "Otherwise, naps and sending spells sound good."

Dryali said darkly, "Certainly they will come looking, if 9 people are missing!  Also, we unlikely want to let Siress to have a nap…"  Fine Branch cut him off.  "Ball gag Siress." 

Fine Branch continued, "I think taking a watch each and making sure she doesn't get free of her shackles would be sufficient."

<Narrator voice:  start of session 2>

Dryali was still thinking about what would happen when siesta ended, and said again, "But, they will come, and find us with the bodies."

Tai said quickly, "I'll bury them!"  Ana pointed out, "Only Fine Branch needs a long rest.  I could cast invisibility, and go back to town."

They discussed this, and also maybe Ana and Dryali both returning, since they left together.  Ana said, "If Dryali goes with me, it's safe, but then to guard Siress?"

Fine Branch said again, "Manacle and ball gag Siress."

Dryali asked, "Doesn't Fine Branch have a friend, a stablehand?"  Tai said, "That guy is dead," and pointed at Cushaw.  Fine Branch scowled, then said, "The stable master."

They decided to set the cultists' belongings aside, and lay out the bodies but not bury them, while Fine Branch retreated into the cave for a long catnap.  Tai, who was experiencing some feels about axing so many people in a rage, started laying them out.

Ana was heading back to town.  "I'll take one of those scimitars, and the Church of Storms token, please," she said imperiously, holding out her hand.  Startled, Dryali handed it to her.  As she left, Fine Branch called out after her, "If the flow of goods is disrupted, then create and destroy water can help!"  And then she was gone.

Tai and Dryali turned to Siress, the Dark elf pulling out a ball gag.

Ana made it back to the station no problem, and went to Levtri's room.  Her first knock was ignored, so she knocked more loudly, and heard Levtri growl throatily, "Yooooo!"  He opened the door, sleepy and annoyed, then looked down at the Maker gnome.

"So sorry to wake you," Ana said politely, "But something's happened, and we need to talk."

Levtri rubbed his eyes and ears, then said, "Oh.  Let's meet in the tavern."  He closed the door again.  Having no choice but to trust he would come, she went to the empty tavern and waited.  She pulled out the scimitar and studied it.  It was the same as those on Petersen's henchmen.

Levtri only took a few minutes to come to the tavern, and sat at the table with Ana, and waited.  Ana put the scimitar down, and said, "We haven't been fully forthright with you."  At his raised eyebrow, she continued, "We're not with the mining consortium; we're investigating the Daystar cult on behalf of the Church of Storms."

Whatever Levtri had expected Ana to say, this wasn't it.  "Church of Storms?!"

Ana was a bit at a loss what to say about the Daystar cultists.  "We've had encounters with the Daystar cult before, and they are not nice people, it always ends in violence…"

"Who worships the Daystar?!" Levtri interjected, incredulous.

Ana wasn't done.  "...so they recruit, and people here had joined..."

Levtri could not contain himself, "what?!!" but Ana still wasn't done.  "We followed them and they attacked us and there was a large fight."  Finally done, she handed Levtri the scimitar she had been studying.

Levtri took it suspiciously.  He hefted it like a person who could use one, and turned it back and forth as one does when handed a scimitar.  The sunburst glittered.  "What's this logo?" he asked.  "The Daystar cult," Ana said.  He put the scimitar down on the table.

"Who was this?" Levtri asked.  Ana closed her eyes, then listed them:  Patisson, Golias, Styria, Cushaw.  "Also Bindi, but she had just joined them, we think."  Levtri's face was thunderstruck.  "They had been recruited to the cult by lion lady – liontaur," she corrected herself.

One of Levtri's tufted tails started lashing.  "A what?" he asked.  Ana told him, "I never saw one before either, but she looks like a lion-centaur."

Levtri leaned back in his chair, studying the ceiling.  His tail was not lashing as hard.  "Hmmm," he muttered.  Ana said abruptly, "I know this is hard, especially with staffing."

"We have staffing to spare, but the entire warehouse staff?  ...that might be hard, if their organization was non-standard…" his voice trailed off.

Watching his reaction. Ana concluded that Levtri was less surprised about who it was, than what.  She offered, "We are going to contact the head of our Freelancers about getting you extra help."  Levtri sat up.  "You're Freelancers?"  Ana smiled for the first time.

The tavern was silent for a space, then Ana's smile faded, and she asked, "How do we deal with them?"  Levtri looked puzzled, so she added, awkwardly, "Bodies."  Levtri said, "Oh.  Bury them away from wild animals…  actually, burn them."

Levtri frowned, and asked, "You mentioned this lion lady, is she still alive?"  Ana nodded, and he came to a decision.  "Okay, after siesta, let's bring everyone out to have a ceremony."  He stood up, and went behind the bar.

Meanwhile, back in the canyon, Fine Branch was sound asleep in the cave.

Tai and Dryali had laid out the mutilated bodies, and were unhappy about it.  Dryali had finally remembered his +1 all-purpose tool would enable him to know a cantrip for eight hours, so he used it to learn mending, and used the cantrip to make the bodies look not quite so awfully axed up.  They put the gold and scimitars at the feet of the corpses, then the two of them rested in the shade, keeping an eye on Siress.

Siress tried to get out of her manacles, but managed to make them tighter, and both Dryali and Tai noticed.  They were not empathetic, and laughed at her.

Dryali was more concerned about Siress being missed than the Waypoint folks, and was watching for someone to come seek her out.  But all he saw was a vulture, a scorpion, Tai watching in the other direction, and a sleeping Fine Branch.

The wind started to pick up.  It was not cooling in the slightest.

<Narrator voice:  Trigger warning:  references to funerals, violent death, suicide>

Levtri had made himself and Ana nice cool drinks while they waited for everyone else to emerge from siesta.  The tavern was warm, but pleasant compared to the blistering heat of the canyon.

Once siesta was over, Levtri gathered everyone in the tavern.  "I have news," he said simply.  Once gathered, he informed the Waypoint station personnel what happened.  "Patisson and his crew, along with Cushaw, had been caught up in a strange cult, worshipping the Daystar," he told them, and started passing the scimitar around.  Everyone started murmuring, Ana could hear some saying "who worships the Daystar," and "that's why they're weird."  Imedia's face was a study; she'd picked up the verb tense, and she was thinking about Cushaw's recent behaviour.

Levtri glanced at Ana, "They tried to attack these Freelancers, working undercover for Church of Storms," he added, and all eyes were on Ana speculatively.  Then the room relaxed, as people put it all together.  "Bad idea," someone muttered; "Yikes," someone else said.

"Ana came back to tell us," he explained, "the others are keeping watch over the deceased, and the captured liontaur who apparently enticed them into this wickedness."

Ana said, "I can lead you there, so they can have a proper ceremony."  Inside, she was cringing at having to make this walk again.  But she led them with dignity, until they were almost there; then she ran ahead to warn Dryali and Tai the people coming "were not an angry mob!"  Then she ran back to the station personnel.

Tai and Dryali looked at each other, then woke Fine Branch up.  "You're the cleric, man!"  Fine Branch sat up, blinking, then sprang up, considering his demeanor.  Outside the cave, the sound of the approaching people from the station had dropped to almost nothing.  It was one thing to be told something incredible in the tavern and shown a scimitar; it was another thing entirely to see people they'd lived and worked with for a long time laid out as corpses, Daystar scimitars at their feet.  And there, a ways away in the shade of a canyon wall, was the manacled and ball-gagged liontaur.

Fine Branch emerged from the cave, and they all turned to look at him.  He moved around to stand next to Levtri at the heads of the bodies, and raised his voice over the wind.

Everyone is a stained glass window, and as we go through life, we accumulate cracks.  And for some, the cracks imbue character; and for these unfortunates, the cracks overcame them.

Levtri raised his voice.  "Some have friends and family!  Let us pick up the coin they have accumulated and make sure it gets to them.  As for these scimitars," he paused dramatically and shifted his voice, "Let them go to the Church of Storms."

Levtri turned to the Freelancers standing to the side of the bodies and sighed.  "I guess, can you burn them?"  Dryali and Ana looked at each other, then he used a spell slot to create a flamethrower eldritch cannon.  They positioned themselves at the shoulders, and Dryali used the flamethrower, and Ana used burning hands, to burn them.

People were sad, watching the bodies of their compatriots burn.  After a few minutes, the air filled with the smell of fresh-cooked meat, complicating those emotions for everyone.

Everyone, that is, but Siress.  She was hungry, the smell was making her drool.  The mention of Church of Storms had not been lost on her either.  She struggled to get away.  Levtri noticed, and went up to the Freelancers.

Levtri:  why is she alive?  Why not kill her, too?
Fine Branch:  we've been trying to catch a high-level person of the Daystar cult for a while.  She's the first one we've caught alive.  We'll keep her alive until other instruction.
Dryali:  not sure she's alone.
Levtri:  we been patrolling…
Fine Branch:  you missed her!
Levtri:  but, she's not a group.
<pause>
Levtri:  where we gonna keep her?  You gonna guard her?
Fine Branch:  gonna guard her for sure.
Levtri:  the stables, maybe.
Dryali:  she is manipulative; we are slightly concerned she might have touch spells.

They decided to put Siress in the stables, with Tai and Dryali guarding her, at least until Fine Branch got in touch with Arnari.  By the time the bodies had been properly burned, and they had returned and settled Siress in the stables, it was past dinner time, and the Freelancers slept, with Tai and Dryali trading watches.

Fine Branch rose at dawn the next morning, and cast sending to Arnari.  He'd never used the spell before and wasn't sure how it was received, compared to, say, message.

HAVE KILLED FIVE CULTISTS STOP CAPTURED LIONTAUR CULT LEADER STOP REQUEST REPLACEMENT WAREHOUSE CREW STOP PLEASE ADVISE RE LIONTAUR STOP CONSERVING SPELLS REQUEST HOURLY CHECKIN

Arnari's reply was short and to the point, and conveyed an undertone of surprise and exasperation at Fine Branch shouting in her head.

interrupt after dinner entertainment

A long pause ensued.  The length of the pause was a hint at exactly what Arnari's "entertainment" probably was.  Then

<sigh> Alright hourly seems a little too frequent. Will have Adrian checkin. Will try to get help to you.

Fine Branch could almost feel the raised eyebrow from Arnari.  He ack'd the message, and went to breakfast, and told the others (and Levtri) he'd contacted Arnari.

An hour later, Adrian Bryant's voice was in Fine Branch's head.

Church of Storms will contact Skyguard.  Will tell you tomorrow how long that will be.  Good job with Daystar cultists.  ...Liontaur?!  What?

Fine Branch replied,

Liontaur was leader of local sect. Appears to have divine connection to Daystar. Captured alive. Bound and gagged. Request instructions

At this pass, Dryali could not stay up anymore, and he withdrew to go into elven trance for four hours, leaving guarding Siress to the others.

Three and a half hours later, Adrian's voice echoed in Fine Branch's head again.

Stay extra three days. Fast ship is coming for you with facilities to contain liontaur. Hourly checkin unreasonable

Fine Branch was unhappy, but replied,

Understood.  Please checkin at least every 8 hours.  Liontaur has mind control and we're unclear the limitations.

Dryali arose soon after, and he and Fine Branch went to the stables where Siress was being held, bearing food and drink.  Fine Branch cast silence over the space, and then they removed Siress' ball gag so she could eat and drink.  They re-gagged her when she was done, and Tai left to get some solid sleep.

Fine Branch took Nighthawk out, and went hunting for the cave Siress had been in.  With Nighthawk's help, he found it, and ran detect magic.  Nothing really but faint traces of illusion magic.

Fine Branch returned to the Waypoint station, and gathered the scimitars.  He flew on Nighthawk to the southern edge of the skylith and left them there, then flew to the other edge of the skylith and cast locate object weapons with the sunburst sigil on them.  He only got pings from the scimitars he'd placed.  He retrieved them and returned to the Waypoint station in time for siesta.

Late in the afternoon, the fire elemental airship Boll showed up, which was supposedly returning them to Duquesne.  They begged off and told Captain Radu to speak to Church of Storms in Cliffshadow.  Levtri also talked to the captain, and gave him a packet of papers to take back with him.  Meanwhile, Ana guarded Siress while Dryali, Tai, and Fine Branch helped with unloading and loading cargo.

Three more days passed, the Freelancers doing what they could to help out at the Waypoint station, between shifts guarding the increasingly resentful Siress.  Dryali and Ana helped Levtri figure out Patisson's warehouse organization, with Tai helping move items around as Levtri standardized it.  Pintar and Ana had conversations, the blush turning his ears red.  Everyone went through awkward moments as it would suddenly "hit" someone at the Waypoint that the Freelancer they were talking to had slain 5 of them, as if it was no big deal.

Adrian did more checkins on the Freelancers, and was smart enough to rotate who received the sending.  As part of the checkins, they found out to expect the air elemental airship Tugendhat, captained by Leticia Herohouse, an airship normally used for Duquesne/Pembroke runs, even between conjunctions.  The Tugendhat was bringing Margeria Dustin, a human Tempest cleric, and a squad of Storm Guards led by the Wind sagani Renfro.  Once en route, Margeria alternated the checkins from Adrian.

As the long days came and went, the Freelancers grew used to the rhythm of Waypoint life, and appreciated why the station personnel liked being on Waypoint Resource.  They did not share the attraction: it was too hot for Tai, too rough for Ana, too bright for Dryali, too dry for Fine Branch.

On the third day after the Boll had departed, right after the siesta, the Tugendhat roared in, a mini tornado behind it, landing with a grace the other airships had not, as the tornado moved below it and then faded into calm.  The Waypoint station personnel emerged to secure the airship, but there was no cargo to unload beyond a few barrels of water.

Margeria debarked with the squad of Storm Guard, lightning patterns in their armour and cloaks billowing behind them in the wind.  Her own shield was decorated with a cloud with lightning arcing across it, the holy symbol of Whatitiri.  She thanked Levtri, and then the Freelancers led them to where Siress was held in the stable.  Upon seeing the arrival of Church of Storms, Siress tried to fight.  "Whoops!  Not happening here," Renfro said jovially.  The squad picked up Siress and carried her back to the Tugendhat.

Captain Leticia, meanwhile, also debarked, and introduced herself to Levtri.  She passed to him a large packet of papers, bound and bearing the Skyguard seal.  "These are from Bryseis Seere," she told him.  "Another airship is on its way, bearing relief and new personnel; there was not enough time to assemble that before we left."

Levtri nodded, breaking the seal and scanning the papers.  "Thank you.  We should be alright in the near term; while we are short handed, there are fewer mouths to feed."  By this time, Margeria had joined them.  "Come inside and meet people; they need that, after what happened."

Margeria replied, "Of course," and the captain added, "If you have the supplies, we'll join you for dinner, then depart, that's a better orbital position for us."  Levtri assured them that was no problem, saying, "That will give me time to prepare papers for return."  He added after a moment, "Send Renfro to me, as well; I have some scimitars for him."

Later that afternoon, Ana went back out to the canyons, and found a pretty rock and brought it back.  She cast light on it, then asked, "What do you think, I will give it to the chef."  It was very pretty.  Dryali, bereft of his usual cynicism, said gently, "It will fade out in an hour."  Ana replied, sadly, "True," and Dryali reached forth and touched it, using magical tinkering to make it glow.  "Now it will last, although not be quite as bright," he told her.

Somewhere, in Cliffshadow, a set of thieves' tools stopped repeating "boots&cats" whenever someone touched them.

Ana brought the glowing rock to Pintar, presented it to him, and thanked him for his care.  The blush as he accepted the memento was even brighter than before, and he ducked his head shyly.

Dinner was extra good that evening, even the airship crew commenting on it.  Afterwards, the Freelancers bade farewell, and boarded the Tugendhat, bound for Cliffshadow, bearing a newfound appreciation for their capability to disrupt.

The return travel was fast indeed, and uneventful.  Captain Leticia needed no help to avoid storms.  Fine Branch explained to Margeria and Renfro their precautions with Siress (Dryali told them, "Keep the ball gag"), and Adrian and Margeria alternated checkins with each other and also keeping an eye on the Freelancers, Storm Guard, and the captain for any charm effects.

While en route, Margeria told the Freelancers they were fine to keep the magic items that had been Siress', so Tai took the boots of elvenkind, Ana took the +1 daggar, and Fine Branch took the ever-smoking bottle.  Dryali waived any claims to it, and indeed seemed a bit detached.  He spent most of the trip in introspection, reflecting on the events that had occurred, and occasionally talking to Margeria.

They arrived in Cliffshadow in the afternoon of the fifth day, and were greeted at the docks by Adrian Bryant and another squad of Storm Guard, cloaks billowing in the nonexistent wind.  He clasped arms with Margeria and thanked Captain Leticia, as Siress had her legs unmanacled and was marched out of the docks to the Church of Storms.  Heads turned at the sight of the liontaur.

Adrian turned to the Freelancers and, thanking them, paid them 20 platinum each.  They walked together away from the Tugendhat through the southern storm doors, as the way was the same for the first part of the walk back.