Tale View

Six Freelancers filed into Arnari's office, and started settling themselves in various places with an air of expectation.  Arnari watched the familiar faces from behind her desk, fingers wandering idly along her harp, the melody giving off an air of self-satisfaction.

Dominic, a human druid with a salt & pepper mustache, walked over to the maps on the wall, studying them for imperfections.
Minji, a grey Maneki nekomata warlock, in leathers cleverly cut to look like a dress, sank down onto the bear rug in front of Arnari's desk, her claws reflexively kneading the fur.
Peb, a large Rock sagani with a shovel and shield strapped across their back, sank down on the floor next to the head of the bear rug.  Somewhat anxiously looking around, they stroked the bear's head awkwardly.
Ricardo, a human bard with shoulder-length blond hair and a black sash hiding one eye, grabbed a chair near the rug, spun it around, and sat in it backwards, eyeing Arnari thoughtfully.
Timmy, an older Djogeon monk, examined the chairs and sat in the least-rickety looking one sized for a halfling.
Lorcan, a Pastoral gnome dressed in kind of sickly yellows and greens, hesitated once in the room.  He went to the second row of chairs and sat so he could see Arnari past Ricardo, then steepled his fingers under his chin.  He stretched his arms out, to look at his newly-acquired bright purple bracers, then steepled his fingers again, looking at Arnari.

"Five missions," she began, setting her harp aside and pulling papers out from different stacks on her desk into a new stack in front of her.  She turned the papers as she read off the summaries.

First – go to Pirates Dream, find something unnatural, and make it not be there.  If it's vicious, kill it.  If it's tameable, get a mount.

Second & Third – egg mission, for anyone who needs a mount. [here, Arnari looked pointedly at Timmy.]  The usual pay for these is in effect:  hippogryphs, 100 eagles per egg, 10 eggs for a mount; gryphons, 150 eagles per egg, 12 eggs for a mound.

Fourth – go to Ophelia.  They are having issues with lions attacking the cattle herds there.

Dominic:  lions?!
Peb:  baderlions
Arnari:  lions
Ricardo:  dandylions?
Arnari:  regular lions.  Will also pay 100 eagles each for lion hunting.
Lorcan:  just hunting needed?  or something else.
Arnari:  just hunting?  What else would there be?
Lorcan:  is there anything?
<Arnari picked up a new piece of paper.>

Final – escort the new Blessed Fountain to Waypoint Resource.

Peb looked up at Arnari, and as these words sank in, started vibrating with excitement.

Peb:  w- we get to g-go on an airship?!
Arnari:  …yes?
Ricardo:  what skylith?
Arnari:  Waypoint Resource.
Lorcan:  why us?  Why not the Skyguard?
Arnari:  escort and install.
Lorcan <frowned slightly>:  are we escorting a priest of Ua?
Arnari:  no.  They will instruct you.
Timmy:  no preferences, other than avoiding Gwidion's environs.
Ricardo:  I'm not into flying; I'd prefer lions.
Dominic:  I'm fascinated by lions.
Minji:  I'm okay with lions; but don't look at me as a small lion.

Everyone but Peb looked at Minji, who resembled the cheezburger cat more than a lion.  Peb, though, having never been off Duquesne, had started actually shivering, and raised their hand tentatively.  So then everyone looked at Peb.

Peb:  Ah would– Ah, Ah, Ah would like to go and see, this Waypoint Resource.
Arnari <gently>:  it's a small Skyguard outpost on a very small skylith.
Lorcan:  how much does the Waypoint Resource mission pay?
Arnari:  150 eagles each.
Ricardo:  they adventure would be so much better, with lions
<Peb looked at Lorcan.>
Lorcan:  hunting animals seems boring.  I'm suspicious of both these missions; we do not have the full information!
Timmy:  I'm worried about Minji's safety with lions.  What about an adventure with a waypoint?
Peb:  b-but, sky pirates!
Ricardo:  okay; sky pirates is fine.
Lorcan:  and mission is from the Skyguard.
Arnari:  no; from Downpour Anuhea of the Church of Ua.  She is contracted with the Skyguard.

There was a bit of a silence; it seemed Ricardo and Dominic were not going to object further, so Arnari then said, "Okay.  Go to Church of Ua; talk to Downpour Anuhea, who will instruct and also give you the fountain.  The Tugendhat will take you to Waypoint Resource.  You should be there 3 days, and the Braidwood will pick you up and bring you back."

Peb's eyes were wide at how matter-of-factly Arnari described all this activity that was so very exotic to them.  Everyone nodded and rose to prepare, then took their leave.

Peb, Minji, and Lorcan went to the quartermaster, Waywocket, and Peb started buying what made sense to them for going on an airship:  spyglass, goggles, barometer, backpack parachute, and a cask of water.  While they were doing all that, Shimni walked up.

Shimni:  what's the occasion?
Minji:  we have a mission to deliver a fountain to Waypoint Resource.
Shimni:  I could use a change of scenery, I'll come too.
Lorcan:  make sure to tell Arnari, so she gets you the airship passage.

Once Peb was done, Minji bought a pair of shadow goggles.  Lorcan bought a waterskin, and some extra pegasus feed.

Peb got out their cart with Mary Jane pulling it, and the Freelancers went to the Church of Ua in the western part of Guildstrom.  They were admitted and gazed upon the continuous waterfalls in the atrium, which fell into a pool of clear water.  The sound of the water falling was both gentled and amplified by the room's architecture.

Acolytes escorted the Freelancers to Anuhea, who greeted them, rose, then led them to a side room.  Within there was an oblong fountain.  One side of it was a pool of water, which never overflowed.  The other side featured a stone-carved water elemental, blowing an arc of water into the pool.  The entire affair was 4' x2', and the Freelancers noticed there was no exit from the pool.

Lorcan and Peb recognized the elemental as the one they'd captured on a previous mission, with Ka.  They both looked in wonder how it had been fused with the stone of the fountain.

Lorcan:  what are this device's vulnerabilities?  What do we need to guard against?
Anuhea:  while it's fairly sturdy, a large enough blow will damage it.  <hesitated> Please don't try to dispell it.
Peb:  how do we try to install it?
Anuhea:  it's best outside.

She turned to a sideboard, then produced 4 pegs of polished stone, 1' long each, that looked like tent pegs.  She pointed out matching divots along the base of the fountain.

Anuhea:  put on solid ground, or stone, and insert these.
Minji: what happens if we install it incorrectly?  Is it fixable, or…?
Anuhea <worried>:  probably fixable.  Once you put a peg in, if you move it you will break it.  The pegs will affirm the Power.
Peb:  pegs, with sufficient application of force?
Anuhea:  you could use brute force, but best to use piety
Timmy:  I can help with that
Peb:  sounds good to me
<Dominic opened his mouth, then closed it, realizing to his surprise that he had nothing that could help.>
Lorcan <held up a stake>:  you put these in by… prayer?
Anuhea:  exactly!  Ua will be listening.
<Lorcan nodded carefully.>
Timmy:  I can help.

At this point it was time for the Freelancers to put the fountain in Peb's cart.  Peb found the fountain surprisingly heavy, but with Dominic's help and Lorcan using mage hand to steady it, they got it into the cart.  <Narrator voice:  Seamus rolled a nat 1 on athletics.>  From there they went to the southern part of the docks, where the Tugendhat was berthed.  They talked to Letitia Herohouse, the human captain, and got the fountain secured in their cabin-to-be.

After that they returned to Freelancers Tavern.  Peb put Mary Jane and the cart away, and everyone got their travel kits and mounts.  Dominic brought his dire bat Robin for Timmy to ride.  They returned to the Tugendhat and got settled, with the mounts in stabling berths below.

A team of draft pegasi towed the Tugendhat away from the Cliffshadow docks, the air elemental in the bow muttering to itself.  The Freelancers were on the observation deck to enjoy the view, and Peb watched the pegasi with interest.  They hadn't really grokked that airships were pulled out of the docks like Mary Jane pulled the cart.  Once the airship was well away from the docks, a Wind sagani on a peregrine gryphon landed on deck, fastening the reins to an appropriately positioned ring, and joined the Captain at the helm.

Just then, the team of pegasi dropped away and the movement of the airship was more coming from the air elemental.  Most of the Freelancers were admiring the view of the enormous skylith Duquesne astern as the airship pulled away and dove slightly.  When Peb turned around to look also, they found themselves overwhelmed, and also it sank in that there was no ground below them.  Eyes widening, the Rock sagani realized they'd always been used to their connection to the rock, and ran belowdecks to get their new backpack parachute and put it on.

A short time later, the Tugendhat shuddered as the pilot and the air elemental smoothly crossed the Duquesne boundary, and then she was taking her leave and flying off on the peregrine gryphon towards the next inbound airship.  The Tugendhat continued to head "in front of" Duquesne and slightly inward, possibly above the magnificent clouds that could be seen forming in the distance.

It was the middle of the night where the airship crew warned the Freelancers of the expected turbulence; it wasn't much warning as the ship was tossed around like a leaf in the mighty winds.  Peb ignored the turbulence, they were too busy still freaking out about no ground; Dominic was wobbly; of course Lorcan and Ricardo were fine.  Shimni just retreated into her ring.

Minji and Timmy, however, were right miserable, unable to hold anything down, completely airsick for the entire time.  Minji tried to study the effect, not having been airsick before, but every time she tried, she had another bout of nausea.  Timmy pulled out a book of koans, flipping through it looking for guidance, to no avail.

It didn't escape Lorcan's notice that the fountain neither budged nor spilled its water.  He suggested to Timmy to try the blessed fountain's water.  Timmy looked askance at Lorcan, as if the Pastoral gnome had proposed a vile heresy.  Lorcan didn't suggest it again, but spent his time away from the fountain, curing something that looked alchemical in nature.

A couple days later, the storm cleared up, and the ride was smooth again, but the Tugendhat was bearing portward, and Timmy and Minji didn't really feel much better.  The other Freelancers found out little from Captain Herohouse, for Waypoint Resource was not on her regular stops.  It was desolate and rocky, with a lot of canyons, and the station was on a flat part, with a lot of the complex underground.

On the fifth day, the Tugendhat's slow portward turn stopped, and it started to climb outward again.  The air warmed up, and as the afternoon came, they spotted the tiny dot that was the waypoint. 

The waypoint remained a dot for a long time, until the Tugendhat was very close, and then they saw a small object, shaped like a squashed ball of mud someone had poured water over, 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, then landed on the ground.  The surroundings were very flat, the ground chewed up and devoid of flora.  The Freelancers saw hills a mile or so off, like the walls of canyons rising up.  The Daystar shone on all, and heat rose from the ground.  People emerged from 3 rounded, low buildings and secured the airship, and others followed to help unload, led by a Holder dwarf woman.

That meant it was time to bring the blessed fountain off the airship. Peb and Ricardo went back to the cabin, and Ricardo told Peb, "Lift with your back, not with your knees," granding Peb bardic inspiration.  Peb put their arms around the fountain, murmuring "that's– that great, thanks RicardoMoro, oof" and cast guidance on themself as well, then carried the fountain off the Tugendhat.

<Narrator voice:  somewhere in here Peb cheerfully says to Ricardo: "My papoo never let me forget that it's not about what ya do, it's about doing your best at what you do do, and I do think that's the best way to do your do," but the notes lack context for what prompted it>

The Holder dwarf introduced herself as Muriel Bronzesmile, the quartermaster, then saw Peb and stopped.

Muriel:  is this the fountain from the Church of Ua?
Ricardo:  it is.  Where– where should we put it?
Muriel:  uhhhh, I don't know!  Why don't you put it in the warehouse, then ask Levtri where it should be installed.

Muriel led Peb (and the other Freelancers, but Peb was carrying the fountain) into the warehouse (which was one of the low buildings), and the fountain was put in one of the corners.

Ricardo:  where can we find Levtri?
Muriel:  in the tavern.  <pointed at center building>  If you go into that building, the tavern is downstairs.
Lorcan:  mind if I stay here?  We were charged with seeing this <gestured at fountain> installed safely.
Muriel:  how about instead, in my secure office?

Lorcan looked at Peb, but Peb did not mind.  They were revitalized by being on the ground, with rock under their feet!  Peb picked up the fountain again, and followed Muriel to her office.  Once the fountain was in there, she locked the door.

Dominic and Lorcan regarded the quartermaster thoughtfully.  She seemed "newer" compared to the guards, who had somewhat tanned and windburned skin.  They looked around more, and noticed all the warehouse staff seemed to lack the "weathering" of the other personnel.

The Freelancers then returned to the Tugendhat to retrieve their mounts, after Muriel pointed out the stable to the south of the other three buildings.  They brought the mounts to the stable master, a Djogeon woman named Imedia, who had dark brown hair and eyes.  She literally coo'd over their mounts and variety.  She adored Bandit, making a point of mentioning he was right-sized for her, and she wasn't really all that sure of Damsel;  but she was really intrigued by the dire bat, Robin.

Timmy tried to play it cool that Robin was his mount, and Dominic tried to play along, but Robin was not having it, and headbutted Dominic like a cat would.  Timmy still did his best to act like that was intentional.  Imedia, however, really only cared about all the cool mounts.  The Freelancers left her to it, and headed to the tavern to talk to Levtri.

Since it was mid-afternoon, the tavern was relatively empty; the Freelancers found Levtri polishing glasses behind the bar.  Levtri was a somewhat weathered Simha nekomata, coloured like a lion, with tufts at the ends of his tails.  When he found out why they were there, he comp'd their rooms.

Ricardo:  where should we put the fountain?
Levtri:  over here <pointed at a corner of the tavern>
Ricardo:  we were instructed by the Church of Ua, it should be outside.
Levtri <grimaced>:  any other requirements?
Ricardo:  flat or packed dirt.
Timmy:  packed dirt good?  Stone?
Peb:  and, uh, should be level.

Levtri put the towel down, and waved over a Wild elf male, Tapkan, to take over the bar.  Then he led the Freelancers outside on a walk, heading towards the canyons.  He didn't take them all the way there, but after about 10 minutes, the ground had risen some, and the station was still easily in view.  He started into a canyon, then stopped where the emerging wall had a divot of sorts, lit by the afternoon Daystar.  By this time all the Freelancers were overheated except Peb and Timmy.  Levtri, despite his worn studded leathers, seemed fine.

Levtri:  will this work?  It has shade, sometime.
Ricardo:  you can put a little gazebo over it
Levtri <after a thoughtful silence>:  I'll leave you to put it tomorrow.  Let's go back, and have some food, and evening merriment.

While Levtri had been thinking, Lorcan looked around the area for footprints.  He saw only animal tracks:  desert lizards and insects, some were on the larger side.

The tavern had more people in it when they got back; the first of the mechanics off early from the airship repair shop, some of the crew of the Tugendhat, and also some people on layover, waiting either for the Tugendhat or Braidwood, due in 3 days.  Minji and Timmy, reminded of their recent fragilities on the airship by their walk in the heat, did not feel up for a tavern, and withdrew to their rooms.

Some of the people on layover were merchants using the waypoint as a transfer point for themselves and/or accompanying goods.  When Peb realized this, they tried to talk to them, pitching trade in "exotic dung".  To a person, the merchants were emphatically not interested in such a thing.  Being merchants, they used slick words to deflect Peb's pitch, but those to whom they were not talking had observable side-eye.

Dominic remained quietly observing from their table, but Ricardo was circulating and checking out who was in the tavern; Lorcan was too, with a particular eye to station personnel.  As they did so, they noticed the entire warehouse staff arrive, and also some of the guards.

Time passed, and the tavern became well-populated.  The food served was well-prepared, albeit clearly from preserved goods.  Games started up, including dice, dragonchess, darts.

The Freelancers all retired early, having missed the mid-day siesta and unused to a 26-hour day.

The next morning was bright, the Daystar shining down with few clouds.  Levtri and Muriel led the Freelancers back to the quartermaster's office in the warehouse, and with that initial wave of heat, Minji shook her head.  "Curious as I am to see this installation," she said, "I feel too poorly, still, to watch it in this heat," and with that she returned to her room to cat-nap.

As Muriel unlocked the door, Ricardo reminded Peb again, "Lift with your back, not with your knees," granting bardic inspiration.  But Dominic, reminded of the walk in the heat the day before, asked, "Anyone got a cart?"

The warehouse had a hand cart, and Muriel produced it.  It was big enough to hold the fountain, so Peb emplaced the blessed fountain on the cart and brought it outside.  Peb would be able to haul it on the ground with no problem.  Levtri told them he would lead them back to the spot, and Muriel noted she would be staying in the warehouse.  Her tone implied a great reluctance to go into the canyons with Freelancers.

That left getting the mounts, and they headed to the stables to retrieve them before heading to the divot in the canyon wall.  Halfway to the stables, a Dao rose out of the rocks and confronted Shimni.  The Dao appeared somewhat humanoid in shape, entirely bedazzled from gems that looked like clothing.  The gems reflected the light of the Daystar every which way, which felt in harmony with the small reflections from the salt mixed in with the rocks.  Of course it was Shimni's father, Ozo, apparently delighted at discovering this tiny skylith.

Ozo:  Ozo the Humble has come to offer his advice and observations!!
Shimni <sighed>:  not now, I'm busy with interesting things!
Ozo:  but my darling daughter, you should be aware of these properties of the local stone–
Shimni <interrupted>:  dad!!

At that, Levtri relaxed, and the others (used to Shimni arguing with her father) resumed their walk to the stables.  Ozo's voice could still be heard booming as he expounded upon his insights about the waypoint environs.

Lorcan and Dominic flew above on their mounts, Robin and Bettula circling with them.  Levtri led Timmy, Peb, and Ricardo back to the spot from the day before.  Ricardo was mounted on Legend, who stayed on the ground, the pegasus delicately choosing where to place his hooves on the rocky ground.

Once there, the Freelancers saw the place was shaded from the morning Daystar.  Peb placed the fountain per Levtri's directions, then moved the cart back out of the way to be sure.  Dominic and Lorcan stayed circling, watching for anything untoward.  <Narrator voice:  Shari rolled a nat 20 for Lorcan's perception.>

Peb cast guidance on Timmy, who pulled out the four stakes and laid three on the ground.  The halfling monk positioned the stake in the divot in the fountain, centered himself, and murmured a prayer to Ua that nobody else heard.  Then the stake slid into the ground without resistance, and a small spray of clean water hit Timmy gently in the face.  Once he could see again, the divot in the fountain was no longer visible.

Dominic and Lorcan watched in horror as three horrible giant scorpions, large enough to ride as a mount, approached from the other canyon wall after the stake went in.  Lorcan was sure they materialized as a result of Timmy placing the stake.  He also noticed they were glowing weirdly, and despite the full daylight they had obviously bioluminescent purple eyes and numerous small poison-green markings that also glowed.  Their shadows were unnatural.

<Narrator voice:  this page can help explain the distinction.>

Lorcan lost no time; he applied potent poison to three blowgun needles and shot the middle scorpion with one of them.  The needle pinged harmlessly off the creature's carapace.

• Dominic dropped moonbeam on the scorpion closest to the fountain.  Then the druid took the form of a starry archer, and sent a mote of starlight at the same scorpion, which burned it with holy radiance.
• Peb's eyes narrowed as they tried to figure out if these scorpions were actually beasts.  They concluded they were, and cast animal friendship on the middle scorpion.  It worked, and Peb now had a scorpion friend.
  • Peb then shaped into a giant spider, and moved next to Levtri.
• The scorpion in the moonbeam was burned by its radiance, so it scuttled out of the beam and attacked spider-Peb with both claws and its tail.  The first swipe with the claw missed, but the second one grabbed spider-Peb and pinched, then the tail stung.  Spider-Peb avoided the worst of the sting.
• The untouched scorpion, furthest from the fountain, scuttled across the narrow canyon to attack Ricardo and Legend.  It grappled each of them in its pinchy claws, even when Ricardo cast silvery barbs in an attempt to prevent it from pinching Legend.
  • Then the tail stung at Ricardo, but the scorpion critfailed, missing Ricardo, but stinging Legend instead.  That strike was a perfect strike on the pegasus, who was unable to avoid the damage, and the amount of poison from the scorpion was too much.  Legend sank to the ground, dead.
  • Ricardo did his best not to fall, and succeeded, quite a feat when grappled by a giant scorpion claw and having his mount slain out from under him.
• The charmed scorpion was Peb's friend, but not anyone else's; it attacked Levtri.  The first claw missed and the second one critfailed, so the scorpion overbalanced and flipped over.
  • Despite being flipped over, the scorpion stung Levtri with its tail.  Levtri avoided much of the poison but was still hurt.
• Timmy, shocked, moved next to Ricardo and Legend's corpse, and used his qi to punch the scorpion with fist of unbroken air, which struck sufficiently hard to flip it over and break the scorpion's grapple on Ricardo.
• Levtri, plainly unhappy with being stung, slashed at the prone scorpion twice with his scimitar, missing with the first slash and slicing something with the second.  The Waypoint stationmaster drew a daggar with his offhand and stabbed the scorpion for good measure.
• Ricardo was not in a good headspace, now.  Only a week ago he'd tried to kill Legend, under the influence of an evil wizard, and now this.  The bard cast an uplevel'd dissonant whispers at the prone scorpion who'd killed Legend.  Timmy heard a lot of swears in the whispers.
  • The scorpion, afflicted by a headache, stood up and fled from Ricardo.

Lorcan shot another poisoned blowgun needle at the scorpion attacking Levtri, but missed.  He flew down to Levtri on Bandit, and handed the nekomata a vial of antitoxin.  While there, Bandit kicked at the scorpion and missed.  Then they flew away again, and the scorpion tried to sting Bandit, but it also missed.

• Dominic had Wilson fly down to the other side of the moonbeam from the scorpion on spider-Peb, then cast thorn whip to drag it back into the moonbeam.  Unfortunately he missed.
  • The druid sent a mote of starlight at the same scorpion, which crit.
  • Wilson moved between the two scorpions, and attacked the scorpion on spider-Peb.  Wilson missed with his beak but the gryphon's slashing claws killed it.
• Spider-Peb was no longer grappled!  They crawled between Levtri and Ricardo towards the fleeing scorpion, and shot webbing at the creature, restraining it.  The giant scorpion chittered angrily.
• The proned scorpion in front of Levtri righted itself, and tried to pinch Levtri and Wilson with its claws.  It missed Levtri but grappled Wilson.  It then tried to sting Dominic, but the sting missed, just going entirely over the druid's shoulder.
• Timmy cast chill touch on the webbed scorpion, the skeletal hand spreading necrosis which blocked all healing.  He then moved between Levtri and Ricardo.
• Levtri glanced at Lorcan, then moved to flank the scorpion.  He slashed it twice with his scimitar and stabbed it with his daggar.
  • "Thanks for antitoxin," he called to Lorcan, "we have these in hand."
• Ricardo again cast an uplevel'd dissonant whispers of incoherent angry swearing at the webbed scorpion.  It could not flee, and it shook ooze from its earholes.
  • "Finish them off!" he cried at Lorcan, granting the rogue bardic inspiration.
  • He sank to the ground next to Legend in despair.

Lorcan shot the scorpion between Levtri and Wilson with the last blowgun needle with potent poison.  This one went between joins in the carapace, and the scorpion died.  Glancing at the webbed scorpion, Lorcan applied basic poison to three more needles.

• Dominic sent a mote of starlight at the webbed giant scorpion, killing it.

* * session break * *

Minji found after a relatively short nap she could not sleep further, as curiosity about the fountain installation was eating her alive.  But her catnap had done her a world of good, so she rose and headed towards the stable to get Chin-gu.  On her way there, she found a frustrated Shimni still arguing with Ozo the Humble.

"Don't you want to see the fountain get installed?" she asked, and Shimni snapped "I really gotta go!" at Ozo, walking away from the bejeweled Dao.  The two Freelancers got their mounts and headed towards the canyon.  Left behind, Ozo closed his eyes as if recruiting his patience, then sank soundlessly into the ground like liquid splashing.  Where he'd been standing glittered slightly more than the surrounding area.

As Minji and Shimni winged in over the Blessed Fountain, they saw 3 dead giant scorpions with unnatural markings, one of which was stuck in a giant web across the canyon from the fountain.  Legend was dead on the ground with Ricardo next to him, and Dominic (who was still a starry archer) was flying up on Wilson to meet them.  The druid pointed at the giant spider and murmured quietly, "That's Peb."

Dominic raised his voice.  "We should possibly put the second spike in," and cast guidance on spider-Peb.

Spider-Peb crawled over to the fountain, then morphed into a Rock sagani of half-orc phenotype.  They took up one of the three stakes Timmy had laid out, closed their eyes, tried praying to Ua, realized they could only think of Legend, then raged.  "This one is for Legend!!!" they shouted, and thrust the spike into the divot of the fountain with brute force.  The stone resisted for the first two inches, then slid in easily the rest of the way.

Another giant scorpion apparated about 20' behind them, between the corpses of the two slain near Levtri; moreover, 3 swarms of flying scorpions appeared in the air.  These were also weirdly bioluminescent; the same colours, and glowing as one would expect creatures to in deeper water, not flying in the air in the light of the Daystar.  One was next to Minji and Chin-gu; one, next to Lorcan and Bandit; and the last one, next to Dominic and Wilson.

Peb called for Bettula, and the owl gryphon winged in and landed next to them.

Shimni, still assessing the situation, cast hex on the giant scorpion, then had Damsel fly straight up.  From there, the Rock sagani cast earthen blast at it and crit, sending a rock comet right up the scorpion's anus with force and necrosis.  She also was surprised at the scorpion's bright bioluminescence, obvious even in the daytime.

• The giant scorpion moved toward the fountain, and tried to grab Peb and Bettula in each claw, but missed both of them.  It stung Peb with its tail, but they were enraged and shook off most of the damage.
• Timmy moved to Ricardo, and did his best to support the shell-shocked bard.
• Levtri ran up to the other side of the giant scorpion, and slashed it twice with his scimitar.  He tried to stab it with his offhand daggar, but missed.  <Narrator voice:  no really, who knew the mild station manager was such a badass.>
• Minji, unhappy to have Chin-gu and herself so close to flying scorpions, had Chin-gu attack them.  Chin-gu's bite missed, but her claws took some of them out.
  • Minji cast toll the dead on the swarm, and perhaps half of them succumbed to the necrosis.
• The flying scorpions all swarmed the Freelancer and mount they were next to, and all missed with attempts to sting.  The ones on Minji critfailed, which meant they were actually trying to sting Chin-gu, except they still missed.

Lorcan, displeased at having an infestation of flying scorpions, cast infestation on the swarm.  Tiny biting parasites attacked, and the swarm, fighting them off, moved left, off Lorcan and Bandit, who immediately flew to the opposite side of the fountain to be away from these pests.

• Dominic also moved away from the swarm on him and Wilson, but did not cast infestation.  So the swarm stung him repeatedly with a lot of poison.
  • Once away, Dominic sent a mote of starlight at the swarm, and the holy radiance dropped half of them to the ground.
  • Dominic cast protection from poison on himself.  Then Wilson attacked the swarm of flying scorpions, with about as much success as Chin-gu had.
• Peb looked around, indecisive when faced with the fountain, and a giant glowy scorpion.
  • Peb:  aw shit.  Do the next stake?
    Lorcan:  are you serious?  Kill the scorpion!
    Peb:  not another stake?
    Lorcan:  not til it's dead?!
    Peb:  we could have them all at once!
    Dominic:  we'd have poor chance of success
  • Peb reached over their shoulder for their shovel, hesitated again, then smacked the giant scorpion with it, killing it.
  • They sent Bettula to attack the swarm on Minji, and the own gryphon did so, again replicating Chin-gu and Wilson's efforts:  missing with beak and dropping some with slashing claws, but in the end there remained an intact swarm of flying scorpions.
• Shimni moved hex to the flying scorpions near Wilson, then sent another earthen blast at it.  The rock comet blew the remainder of the swarm out of the sky, and they rained down harmlessly on the sticky web below.
  • Damsel flew down to bite at the swarm still on Minji, and killed them all, eating as many as she could.
• Timmy, glancing at the blessed fountain, continued to comfort Ricardo, who was now leaning on Legend's still corpse.
• Levtri looked at the dead giant scorpions, and also at the flying swarms, then commented, "This is a lot more exciting than I was hoping it would be."  His tone conveyed mixed emotions.
• Minji cast toll the dead on the remaining swarm of flying scorpions, that Bandit had fled.  Some dropped, but it was still a cohesive swarm.
  • Chin-gu attacked the swarm with beak and claw, killing them all.

Lorcan readied to blow another needle, in case more hostile creatures appeared.  Dominic cast guidance on Peb again.

Peb:  so, uh, we could, uh <centered themself as much as they could, while enraged> Ah can put another stake in, or Ah can hold off and hope they don't attack.
Levtri:  I don't mind if we wait, but you might get pretty hot.
Dominic:  prefer to press on
Minji:  don't want to be hot
Lorcan:  we'll be far more capable, if we wait an hour.
Shimni:  I'm fine with waiting
Peb:  alright; two yes, 2 iffy, let's do it before Ah run out of steam

Peb picked up a stake, and held it in place, then got out a mallet and, pinky finger on the end of the stake, tried to hammer it into the divot in the fountain.  They forgot anything resembling a prayer to Ua, since they were enraged, which was only made worse by hammering their pinky finger.

The stake did not budge, and Peb got the distinct feeling that they were not to set up a Blessed Fountain of Ua by drawing blood or injuring themself.  The thought of drawing blood made them look around at Legend, and all the dead scorpions.

"Sorry, guys," Peb said sadly.

Shimni flew back up to where she'd been before Damsel made a meal of scorpions for herself just as more bioluminescent scorpions apparated: two giant scorpions, and three swarms of flying ones on Dominic, Shimni, and Minji.  Since the Freelancers were expecting their appearing to be related to emplacing a stake, they were unhappily surprised.

Lorcan shot the nearest giant scorpion with a blowgun needle, which probably hurt enough to annoy it.

• The giant scorpion moved to Peb and grabbed both Peb and Bettula in a claw, grappling and crushing on them.  It tried to sting Peb but missed.
• The other giant scorpion moved to Levtri and grabbed him in a claw, and also tried to sting him but missed.
• Timmy at least got Ricardo to move to the other side of Legend, away from the giant scorpions.
• Levtri was swearing a lot, and slashed the giant scorpion grabbing him twice with his scimitar.  He couldn't twist to hit it with his daggar though.
• The swarms of flying scorpions attacked, missing Minji and Dominic, but hitting Shimni.  Shimni avoided most of the poison, because Rock sagani.
• Minji had Chin-gu attack the swarm on her, which took care of some of the stinging flyers.
  • Minji cast toll the dead on the remainder, and some more dropped from the necrosis.

Lorcan crit the giant scorpion grappling Levtri, the poisoned needle piercing the carapace in the perfect spot, and it died.

• Dominic moved away from the swarm of flying scorpions on him, and they failed to sting him or Wilson as he did so.
  • Once away, Dominic sent a mote of starlight at the swarm, and the holy radiance dropped half of them to the ground.
  • The druid followed up with guiding bolt, and the other half dropped to the ground.
  • Wilson flew down to the giant scorpion grappling Peb and Bettula, and Wilson attacked with beak and claw, wounding it badly.
• Peb shaped into a large bear, and recklessly attacked the giant scorpion, biting it and slashing with claws, and it died.
  • Bear-Peb, who'd been training to do so, told Bettula to attack the swarm on Shimni, so they did, downing some of the flying scorpions with beak and claws.
• Shimni had Damsel bite at the swarm, then fly northeast to the top of the canyon cliff.
  • She moved hex to this swarm, then sent an earthen blast at it, and these flying scorpions also rained down onto the web below.
• Levtri looked at the swarm on Minji, then at Timmy and Ricardo.  "Hammer in these spikes already!  Maybe they'll stop coming!"
• The flying scorpions on Minji stung her, their poison reminding her why she'd tried to stay in her room.
• So Minji cast toll the dead on them, and they all died from the necrosis.

Lorcan looked at Levtri, then at bear-Peb.  He flew down to the fountain, then dismounted from Bandit and grabbed a stake.  He held it between his palms, and spoke a prayer to Āhua and Ua; the gnome then placed the stake into the divot, where it slid in easily, becoming one with the fountain.  Then he dashed to remount Bandit and get back in the air.

Dominic was sitting right there on Wilson, and saw what Lorcan did.  So he hopped off Wilson to try the same thing.  The stake did not go in; the druid could discern that while his prayer went through to Āhua, it was not heard by Ua.  Disappointed, Dominic left the stake sticking up out of the divot and remounted Wilson, quaffing a healing potion.

Bear-Peb did not want to drop the bear form, so they grabbed the mallet with their teeth and tried to hammer it in.  It was graceless, but it worked.

Everyone but Shimni (who was at the top of the cliff) and Ricardo (who was sitting on the other side of Legend) saw the fountain had become one with the ground.  Meanwhile, the bioluminescsnce on the corpses of the scorpions started to fade.

Lorcan landed again, looking at the giant scorpions.  They'd been summoned, but they hadn't disapparated when defeated.  He scowled.  "This was a god…"  Peb reverted to their Rock sagani form.  "What god?"

They all looked at the scorpions, pointing out the markings were aquatic.  Levtri noted the waypoint had collided with a salt thalassa in the past, and sometimes the rain they get was from a salt thalassa.  Perhaps Moana had reasons for salting the tiny skylith, and was unhappy at the advent of fresh water here.

Of course Lorcan wasn't just looking at the giant scorpions for their origins.  They were starting to decay, much like fish out of water; Lorcan worked swiftly to harvest any poison he could from them.

Peb was also trying to harvest, not poison, but their exotic poo.  They succeeded, sure that even if the merchants in the waypoint station were uninterested, surely someone else would be later.

Minji sorted through the creatures for study-able remains.  The giant scorpions were a bust, given the rapidity of their decay in the heat.  The flying scorpions, however, were harvestable, and Minji got some claws, and perhaps other parts.

Damsel had learned she loved these snacks, and was munching whatever the Freelancers weren't harvesting.

They all looked at Legend, then at Ricardo, who was now on his feet.  He examined Legend's wings carefully, and selected a couple primary feathers to keep, but then the group headed back to the station before it got too hot.  Legend would keep until the evening.

Once back to the waypoint station, it was time to prepare a meal and have the siesta.  As the Freelancers put their mounts back in the stable, Imedia asked about the pretty pegasus.  Ricardo said nothing, but Timmy shook his head.  "He didn't make it," Peb told her, and she noticed Bettula was also injured.  "What happened out there?" she asked, astounded.

"Something didn't like we were installing the fountain," Dominic told her.  "We'll check later if that's still a problem, but we think it is not."

In the waypoint tavern, the beat-up Levtri was having a similar conversation, as Muriel and Tapkan were asking him what happened.  He told them, adding, "The fountain is installed, but we should check later that it can be used without provoking anything."

The noon meal was served, after which the Tugendhat departed, and everyone else retreated to their rooms for the siesta.  After the siesta, Levtri organized everyone so that after things cooled off as the Daystar was setting, they could gather at the blessed fountain, try the water, and deal with Legend.

They did so, and Levtri, looking much better, led the station personnel to the fountain.  With the Freelancers ready and watching, they tried the fresh water, and many praised Ua, but no scorpions or other badness showed up.  Then it was time to deal with Legend; the Freelancers really had nothing to say, not even Ricardo, and Peb shuffled their feet awkwardly.  Levtri just said that "This pegasus' sacrifice helped make this blessed fountain a reality for us."  Then a great fire was lit, to burn Legend's corpse, and everyone stayed out of the downwind, because burning feathers smells gross.

That evening, the waypoint personnel were convivial, as were the merchants waiting for airships.  So were most of the Freelancers, although Peb seemed determined, and Ricardo was very distracted.  After dinner though, the cook, a lanky human man named Pintar, approached their table and drew Lorcan aside.  As the Pastoral gnome looked at him coolly, Pintar blushed, then swallowed, and finally asked, "You're a Freelancer– do you know a Freelancer named Ana?  She's– also a gnome," he concluded somewhat lamely.

Lorcan remembered Ana from when he'd joined the Freelancers, and also remembered her returning with the group that had beheaded the young green dragon who'd been impersonating The Snake.  "She relocated," Lorcan told the human, "A group of Freelancers freed a kobold settlement from the thrall of a heretic of The Snake, after which they moved on to Commerce.  She was one of them."

Pintar's eyes grew wide at this information, and then he asked, "How would I get a letter to her, there?"  Lorcan steepled his fingers, then said, "I'd send to Freelancers Tavern in Ripa Daneo.  It will get to her then."  Pintar closed his eyes, and repeated it back to Lorcan, then grabbed the gnome's hand and pumped it enthusiastically.  "Thank you!"

The following morning, the Freelancers were better, Levtri was better, and the food was much better.  Perhaps Pintar was cooking with water from the fountain.

After breakfast, Dominic visited the stables, and took out Wilson.  He flew around the outward side of Waypoint Resource with an eye to mapping it; taking notes, sketching landmarks, etc.  He returned in time for the noontime meal, and after the siesta he started crafting a map.

Timmy also visited the stables, but it was more to talk to Imedia.  He asked what living on this skylith was like, and whether any of the rocks actually looked solid.  Imedia wasn't sure how to answer that question, but when he started asking about polluted lakes and rivers, she gave him a look.  "How about we fly around, and I show you what it's like?" she asked, and Timmy was thrilled.

Imedia brought out a couple floppy hats, explaining these would protect against the heat of the Daystar, and they flew around on Robin, with the stable master pointing out the weird rocks, glittery salt formations, and wind-carved canyons.  There was no sign of any flora, or water, other than the fountain.

Peb had decided to cross something off their bucket list:  they were going to walk around the skylith, including the inward-facing surface.  Keeping in mind the rocky, somewhat salty scree surrounding the station, they brought Bettula, and wore the backpack parachute.  They started with the inward-facing surface first, as that was away from the Daystar and would be cooler.

While the ground on the inward face of Resource was devoid of loose scree, the rocks were often crumbly and it was deeply uneven, carved by wind, and having collided with a salt thalassa centuries ago.  The sky below them, but also above their head, was novel.  Peb didn't get far before their weight still caused the rock to separate; they fell off with part of the rock, popping the parachute, and Bettula had to catch them.  After rebundling the parachute, they had Bettula fly close again, and resumed their attempt.  The Rock sagani could feel their connection with the skylith through their feet, but the crumbly surface wasn't a great contact, and after another hour, it happened again; Bettula caught them before they needed to pop the parachute.

After that, Peb got the hang of it, and had no trouble walking to the other side of Resource, and up the side, and back to the station across the outward side, although that last part was a bit hot, and the ground no less crumbly.  The entire walk, just Peb and Bettula in the hot afternoon, had helped crystallize their thoughts on what happened with Legend.

They got back to the station as the day was waning. to find the mechanical airship Bortle had arrived in the meantime, in need of repairs.  The tavern was full of the crew and merchants, station personnel and layovers, and Freelancers.  Ricardo was still not his ebullient self, but was now writing in his book with an elegant pen.

After dinner, which was much better than before (Pintar had gained access to some of the Bortle's stores) Peb, watching Ricardo quietly writing, felt a need to tell people what happened.  They stood up, and started telling whoever would listen about the story of Legend, Pegasus Extraordinaire, the proud mount of the extraordinary Ricardo Monroe, and the savior of Waypoint Resource.  Peb told a story of how Legend laid down his life to save his rider from a lethal blow, who died fighting off the Beasts of Moana to ensure that the people of Resource would never go thirsty again.

Reaction to Peb's storytelling was mixed.  Levtri raised an eyebrow, but did not chime in.  Imedia glanced at Levtri, but said nothing–she would ask later.  The airship crew and merchants took it for a great story.  The rest of the station personnel (other than Muriel and Tapkan) made various skeptical faces: here's a visitor who could not admit that their pegasus had died in the heat.

Peb missed that, as they were on a roll, waxing eloquent about Legend and the fresh water.  They went on about how, by Legend's sacrifice, the people of Resource would always have something to fill their cups.  Peb tried to get as many people as they could to raise a toast to Legend, "Not a toast of ale or mead, but a toast of pure, clean water, the likes Resource has never had before."  They did get some to raise their cups, but the others in the tavern were very much not drinking water.  Finally, they implored everyone they could, from the station personnel, to remember Legend always, whenever they came in for a drink after a long, hot day in the outside heat; and lastly, to remember Ricardo Monroe, Adventurer Extraordinaire, who continues Legend's legend, each and every day.

Everyone looked at Ricardo.  He looked around and tipped his hat, then shook his head, and went back to writing.

The next day, the air elemental airship Braidwood arrived, en route to Cliffshadow on Duquesne, to pick up some of the merchants, their goods, and the Freelancers.  The captain was Yacuanquer Constellation, a Mikumwes woman.  The crew and station personnel spent the afternoon moving cargo in and out of the warehouse; and perhaps some negotiations went on between the Braidwood and the Bortle.

That evening, Levtri and Muriel shook hands with the Freelancers, and bade them safe travels.  Then the Braidwood was off, and returned to Cliffshadow without incident, other than Peb occasionally hitting their head, since the ceilings belowdecks were 5'9".

• Peb → lvl 5 (ancestral guardian Barb)
• Shimini → lvl 4!
• Timmy → lvl 4!
• Ricardo → lvl 4!