Party Journal

Here we go...

After a day of emotional revelations, sleep does not come equally to all members of Prism - although poor Citalli, still tuckered out from DRAINING HIS OWN LIFE FORCE FOR A HANDFUL OF SHRIMP, is entirely out for the count.

Milagros, who spent the night awake at the door, receives the breakfast delivery and tries to bring it in without attracting notice. Tressa Shadowbane is asleep, but heads straight for Mila when she wakes up later anyway. She admits, at last, that she is a complete wreck for a growing list of reasons, and is sorry for practically everything she's done since the battle in the village (whether or not Mila even perceives any given thing as an actual problem). Her current emotional state began back before the battle: she was disturbed by the compulsion to answer Unknown's call through the Unknown, and isn't even sure she wants to be part of the Unknown anymore. Mila remembers that the Pod system isn't actually supposed to compel anyone to do anything, and the emblems are supposed to become beacons in times of need, not impose a loss of will. 

Mila counsels Tressa about her issues: how the members of Unknown now remind her of "Mother," her instinct to run, her history as a victim of manipulation and emotional abuse. They discuss their histories with figures who use their power to put others down. Mila saw people like Cordelia at her temple in her childhood, and Tressa was always at their mercy as an indentured servant. Tressa is perhaps not as responsive to Mila's wisdom as Mila might like, but accepts the support and comfort that could only come from her chosen sister.

Although Tressa is sorry she didn't cast her truth spell, understanding that her decision to trust Unknown can't obligate Mila or Tatrin Var to do the same, she begs Mila to find a way forward with Roth. She admits she finally likes and trusts everyone in Prism (aside from Citalli's... chaos, although it is at least endearing), and wants the group to stay together. She will go with Mila if Mila wants to leave, but she would like both Roth and Mila in her life. In Roth, she sees the potential for someone to understand what she's been through. Mila is not sure what benefit she would actually gain from a truth spell, as the harm has already been done. However, Dionadier herself asked Mila to accept the support of this particular band of misfits. She has great faith in Dionadier, and chooses to stay.

Mila and Tressa rejoin the group. Tressa again offers to cast her truth spell, but Tatrin shares Mila's skepticism that there is any real point in it. He cannot trust Rothilian at all.

Xendario decides to share his perspective on the problem - along with his recent trauma. He shares the news of his encounter with Morrissey, and his regret for his choice to withhold the news of his city's demise. But it is not only this chance meeting that has rocked him. He was also deeply affected by Rothilian's story, because the Sahuagin do not bear all the blame for their constant war. Xen admits that the original Prism would eradicate Sahuagin whatever they found them, attack party or simple community alike.

Xen appeals to Mila and Tatrin to believe in redemption. He asks Tressa to cast her spell so he can attest to his truth and give Roth the chance to prove his word. Mila plants a kiss on Tressa's cheek and leaves, declaring that this part is not for her. Tatrin is unmoved by Xen's compassion for Roth, and still unconvinced that a truth spell will do anything to help. Tressa finds herself in the unusual position of peacemaker, trying to find some productive first step towards openness to Roth.

Tatrin is not only unconvinced by any arguments in Rothilian's favor, but angry on Mila's behalf. He yells at the group for how they treated her and made her feel the day before. Tressa, who already apologized to Mila and doesn't appreciate Tatrin butting in, refuses to accept her share of Tatrin's anger. Xen gets caught in a web of circuitous logic defending his behavior. Progress seems impossible, and the best Tatrin has to offer is that he won't leave. Yet. 

With nothing productive left to say, they shuffle out after Mila to find Aban. On the way, Tressa asks Roth to clarify something he said the day before. He said he named himself, but that Rothilian isn't his real name. To Tressa, a name you give yourself is a real name. Roth says he never liked his old name and he wants to be Rothilian. Tressa is pleased to meet him. 

The Pod finds Mila at the library, waiting for them to see Aban, Valiance, and Mr. Codger. Prism is escorted into a war room of sorts, where everyone else is assembled around a table containing piles of information and a single magical orb with a very familiar bit of red in it. 

Unknown shoots a look of disapproval at Tatrin's spell book, but seems to register his usefulness as well. Unknown gives him a very different look. Mr. Codger and Rothilian manage to communicate a lot with their own looks: Mr. Codger wonders if Rothilian is safe; Rothilian is not entirely sure.

Aban notes that both Prism and Valiance have made reports of the same red infection in their respective travels, and would like to coordinate a response. Information gathering is her priority. She would like Valiance to find more orbs, and Prism to find more instances of infected creatures. Valiance is reticent to admit that the orb comes from The Spire, and seems to have mixed emotions about returning to look for more. They hide the complexity beneath a veneer of bravado, but Tressa notes that they seem to be reacting to recent trauma, and Unknown's avoidance of touching her peers is deliberate, but not very well practiced. It is likely that whatever happened when they obtained the orb, it created, damaged, or amplified Ula's electric powers. 

Ula would like to study the orb, but Cordelia gives it to Tatrin instead. Xen begins to negotiate the terms for a potential six-month assignment to gather data on infections in the area. Final decisions are left for later. Aban has other business to discuss with Valiance. Mr. Codger would like a word with Prism. Which he will have... next session, when perhaps Citalli will be awake again.

Citalli's newfound luck goes largely ignored. For now.

• Tressa Shadowbane's dreams are troubled in the wake of all the recent turmoil, but interspersed with a feeling of calm that brings her half a step back from the brink. 
• Citalli is able to tell the vibes are off with Tressa, Xendario, and Unknown. He checks in on Tressa, who confesses she's fighting her instinct to run away from Unknown. He is optimistic that they use their power well; she knows all too well the danger of that much power and bias in the same hands. 
• A large basket of food arrives, along with the news that today has been declared a day of memorial for those who died in the attack. The Pod opts to stay indoors. After all, Unknown has something to share. 

• Rothilian shares that he is not really a sea elf like Xendario. People like him were raised and trained to infiltrate the rest of the ocean on behalf of the people people he actually comes from - the Sahuagin.
• At the word Sahuagin, Milagros immediately draws her trident and backs Rothilian against the wall. Tatrin is also suspicious.
• Xen tries to get between them, but can't. Citalli retreats behind Tressa. From a safe distance, Tressa recognizes a certain similarity between Rothilian's professed background and hers, and asks for an inch of space. Mila gives half an inch. 
• In his new voice, Rothilian explains that there were some kernels truth in his lies. He was kicked out because of his magical abilities, and nearly died in a fight with a Pod. He claims Unknown saved him, seeking to use him to find a peaceful solution to the Sahuagin's war. He admits that he arranged how the Pod found him, his desire to infiltrate the Pod system, and the banal disappointment that they mostly deliver the mail. And he returns Citalli's puzzle ball.
• Xen argues in Roth's defense against Mila and Tatrin. Xen takes him at his word, arguing that he has done no harm. Mila and Tatrin cannot take Rothilian at his word without proof. 
• Rothilian offers to let Tressa cast her truth spell. She nearly does, but seeing that he has agreed freely, she reevaluate, and chooses to trust him. 
• Mila is unhappy with this development. Tressa asks Mila to see what she sees - that Rothilian is like her. 
• Mila stalks out, with Tatrin close on her heels. 
• Xen has something to share when the group can reunite.

• Outside the city, Mila is frustrated because it would be untoward to hunt on the day of a funeral. 
• Tatrin lets Mila vent her feelings about Rothilian's revelations. She is upset at feeling like the "bad guy." Tatrin calls the rest of the Pod "bleeding hearts," thus becoming the first living creature to accuse Tressa of being any such thing.
• They keep vigil outside of the city while Tako returns to the fold.

• Back in the party's room, Rothilian expresses particular gratitude to Xen for his support, given the history of their respective people.
• Tressa regrets that she may have done damage by not casting the spell. She shares that she and Rothilian have a surprising amount in common, and she would like to talk about that more - but warns Rothilian that she doesn't take well to lies. 
• Rothilian tries to remember and admit to all of his smaller lies so nothing Mila-shaped comes back to bite him later.
• Tressa attempts to ask Mila if she can come find her, but the only response is "not today." 
• When Tatrin and Mila return at night, Mila remains outside the room. 

Citalli's newfound luck goes largely ignored. For now.

Citalli's Good(?) Luck

• Citalli tries his luck at Fishlicious.
• He uses his luck twice: once to catch a slippery fish, and once to discern the nature of his luck.
• He finds that when he reaches for his luck, he automatically does quite well - but he feels a pull reaching out from himself towards something else.

Xen's No Good, Very Bad Luck 

• Xendario heads to the market on a habitual supply run that long predates his days with this Prism - to the community it is named after. 
• Caught up in a reverie, he thinks he sees someone from his past: Meredith, a firm but fair figure in the hierarchy of the traveling community.
• "Meredith," in fact, turns out to be her own brother Morrisey, who did not live with Prism. He recognizes Xen as Zechariah's boy and asks after news of Prism, as he has not heard from his sister in over a year.
• Xen breaks the news of the community's annihilation.
• Morrisey is incensed that Xen never spread the word to the worried network of friends and relatives, left in the dark all this time. Xen attempts to make him understand that he was afraid spreading word would put everyone else at risk. Nonetheless, Morrisey makes Xen the target of his grief and decks him. He promises "to do what you were too much of a coward to," and storms off, leaving Xen nearly catatonic (from the emotional punch more than the physical one).

Meeting in the Market

• Milagros and Tressa Shadowbane are browsing jewelry in the marketplace - likely each one trying to please the other,  as Mila has no interest in baubles and Tressa has no interest in being out in public where she could run into anyone Valiance.
• Low and behold they do run into someone from Valiance, specifically Unknown. Tressa shrinks behind Mila, anxious to avoid notice of such a powerful person.
• Before Ula is able to approach Mila and Tressa, they are accosted by a fangirl child. They take care to play with her while keeping physical distance, and the mother's ache to see her own children is visible.
• Ula approaches Mila and greets her as the Keder, the Chosen One. Mila demurs, and the Ula regales her with tales of figures from Mila's temple, where Ula also grew up, raised by her mother, a huntress. Mila's memories of these intimidating figures do not align with Ula's casual storytelling. 
• Ula invites Mila out for a meal. Mila defers to Tressa, who desperately wishes she could make magically understand that she doesn't want to go, but Mila should do whatever she wants. 
• Ula notes Tressa for the first time and includes her in the invitation out of politeness, managing to make her feel insignificant despite the fact that she actually meant to escape her notice anyway. 
• Tressa slinks away while Ula and Mila head off together. They pass a pleasant lunch discussing everything except the way Ula has to avoid touching other people or Mila's chosen status, each tacitly acknowledging what the other would prefer not to dwell on.

Turmoil! Trust Issues!

• Tressa retreats to the party's room, where she finds Rothilian and Xen - all three much worse for the wear. 
• With Xen nearly unresponsive, Tressa decides to capitalize on the relative privacy to confront Rothilian with her suspicion that he is other than he appears. 
• Tressa does not wish to pry into Rothilian's secrets, but wants assurance that he has not harmed and does not intend to harm the Pod. She asks his consent to cast a truth spell.
• Rothilian refuses to cooperate, calling her spell mind control. 
• Tressa's suspicion mounts, and attempts to offer every reasonable compromise she can think of to allay her concerns. He refuses everything except a promise she can case her spell after he shares his story with the group. This sounds very much to her like, "Fine I'll do it later if it will shut you up (and then won't you feel terrible for forcing me into it?)," and not, as he means it, "Just let me tell my story everyone first, and then I will actually consent if needed."
• Xen manages to stir himself at the commotion, and Citalli and Mila return. Tressa attempts to summon Tatrin Var for a group meeting, but he is too, ahem, busy to care.

The next morning, Citalli wakes and finds himself ever so slightly less hearty and hale than he once was...

• Milagros checks in on Tressa Shadowbane, who dodges any serious conversation about her quick exit from the conference and uneven mood. 
• Tressa notes that Mila handled Unknown brilliantly. Not caring about power is the ultimate power play.
• Mila indulges Tressa in boy talk. Tressa confesses she is getting bored of trying to maintain a connection with Unknown 25 words at a time.

Boy Talk

• Unknown takes Tatrin Var on a date.
• They go to Fishlicious, a glass-domed all-you-are-able-to-catch free range buffet.
• Tatrin acquits himself reasonably well with an agreeable catch.
• Noelani entertains Tatrin with stories of his exploits with Unknown. Tatrin learns various tidbits: Unknown named the group; they have coordinated maneuvers; Unknown has a family.
• Tatrin pulls off an impressively successful Lady + the Tramp spaghetti move before the two retire to a more private location.

Chaos Creature Talk

• Citalli bumps into Cordelia in the market. They reappear together on a beach, in the company of a mysterious, gaunt pirate.
• Creepy Pirate, speaking through Cordelia, alludes to a deal already struck with Citalli.
• Creepy Pirate inquires about Citalli's desires. Citalli wants to be like his uncle, and return to his people with treasures and stories of his adventures.
• Creepy pirate confirms that "success" is the most important thing to Citalli, who thinks an appropriate response to a near-skeletal deal-maker with no clear motivations and clear hooks into one of the most powerful people Citalli has ever met... is to say he'll "take all the help he can get."
• Pulling on a web of fate, Creepy Pirate offers a deal. Citalli takes his hand without hesitation. Wiksah help us all.
• Creepy Pirate promises that Citalli will find himself more successful at his future endeavors - but not to expect miracles. Because Wiksah forbid he should get something actually worth whatever price he just paid for this monumentally terrible decision. 
• Back in the marketplace, Cordelia speaks for herself - she warned Citalli, but now that he's shaken his hand again, "there is no hope for you." Obviously.
• Citalli finally begins to get the slightest clue of the size of the trouble he's just landed himself in, and asks about Cordelia's life bound to Creepy Pirate. She is happy with what his gifts enable her to do, and he is fair - but there is a cost. 
• Citalli bumps into Tatrin leaving Fishlicious and asks for help, but buries the lede and only mentions his newfound luck and not the giant stinking mystery cost exacted by Creepy Pirate Dude. Tatrin, distracted by Noelani, tosses him money to pay for Fishliciuus and promises to test his luck the next day.

Note - I love you, Umbra! Signed, Polly.

You Think That's the Worst of It? Well Strap in, Now It's Time for a Totally Different Talk

• Unknown goes to meet Unknown, whom he finds looking at a scroll about the Sahuagin.
• Mr. Codger drops a privacy enchantment over their conversation, and ROTHILIAN DROPS HIS COUNTRY BUMPKIN PERSONA BECAUSE MR. CODGER ALREADY KNOWS HE'S A SECRET SAHUAGIN. Sort of.
• APPARENTLY, Roth is some kind of subspecies of the Sahuagin, someone born to the Sahuagin but appears similar to a sea elf.
• Rothilian alludes to some kind of special training, how his people wanted to "use" him due to his appearance, something magical resulting in his exile, and Unknown's desire for a "peaceful solution."
• He explains a Pod attacked his people, unprovoked, and he was taught that the other people of the ocean were all evil and Secolah was great.
• Mr. Codger is unsurprised by Rothilian's revelations. He bemoans the disconnect between the Sahuagin - a people whose art and poetry he admires, who have too much beauty in them to be so violently set against the rest of the ocean. All other peoples have done their share of wrong, but why have only the Sahuagin not learned to be peaceful? 
• Mr. Codger shows Rothilian diagrams of Sahuagin and Rothilian's kind of Sahuagin. Patterns similar to markings found Prism has found in their study of the red-eyed infection are present in Sahuagin bodies. They are not present in in Rothilian's people. Roth proposes his people might be nature's answer to the disease.
• Mr. Codger shares origin stories of the Sahuagin. Every story he knows indicates that Secolah found them and corrupted them - none ever trace the corruption or Secolah's involvement to the origin or making of the Sahuagin themselves.
• They discuss the Pod system. Rothilian was raised to believe they were a violent enemy. Mr. Codger believes the Pod system has its place and is necessary, but is a protective force and not a peacekeeping one. They are both impressed with Prism's response to Valiance's bias against the Sahuagin.
• Rothilian suggests it might be time for him to open up to his pod. 

Note: I don't love you, Jim, you're a monster! Signed, Polly.

Surely, with all this drama and no mention of Xendario, things must at least be going well for him. Right?

Combat Cool-Down

• On the way back to Mr. Codger's neighborhood, Tatrin Var gives Tako some TLC and looks for a Sahuagin communications device, but finds nothing. 
• Back in their room, the Pod is reeling from the intense combat and Milagros' near death by Sahuagin spear
• Tressa Shadowbane won't leave Mila's side, but spends her evening mending Xendario's armor. The group seems surprised at this development, but it is only fitting after Xen was the one to ASK what the group wanted to do after their first experience of the Pod system's compulsory summons. She is flummoxed by his offer to do something in return.
• The group discusses their encounter with the almighty Unknown. Unknown is the only one to clock Tressa's fear. She, in turn, notices he seems particularly affected by the combat. Roth checks on everyone's feelings.
• Tressa tries to guide Citalli towards more efficient ways of healing. Mila takes her advice as threats to get Citalli to prioritize healing Mila over Tressa, and counters with her own threat to get him to do the reserve. 
• Knowing that Mr. Codger intends to pay the Pods that participated in the village's defense, Citalli discusses giving his pay to the "war orphans." The group seems to agree they will follow suit, although Mila tries to hide it to spare Tressa'a feelings. The closest Tressa gets to agreeing is declining to comment.

Mr. Codger's Committee Meeting 

• On the way to debrief with Unknown, the Pod learns that Unknown's missing members had sat out combat because they'd been struck by a flu-like poison.
• The Pod found Valiance meeting with Mr. Codger about the events of the previous day. While speaking, Unknown received magical word that their planned defenses at the site of a second prong of the attack were successful.
• Tressa notices that the rest of Valiance gives Unknown space - she's shockingly dangerous to be around. 
• Tatrin becomes the eminently willing recipient of Noelani's self-indulgent attentions. 
• Mila decides to compare travel notes with Unknown, Valiance's apparent leader who apparently lacks basic respect for anyone beneath her. However, Mila both outmaneuvers her power plays and manages to impress her. 
• Valiance has also found creatures that display the symptoms Prism has seen, but in clustered. They have also tried to study it, but have also (almost) always found the remains to disintegrate before they could learn anything useful. 
• Unknown believes the phenomenon is connected to "The Burning" (or "The  Burning Eyes?", but the rest of his team discuss his theory as wildly unlikely, akin to "Mr. Codger's Sahuagin theory." 
• Tressa had heard of the Burning Eyes - a fever that wreaks havoc in cities but never touched Unknown.
• When Mila shares that Tressa noticed the Sahuagin attacking the village shared a familiar red-rimmed eye look, all of Valiance managed to piss of all of Prism in one clean sweep. The merest hint that the Sahuagin might be anything other than inherently evil is de facto impossible to them. 
• Tressa can't stand to be in a room with that much bias and that much power in the same hands, and retreats. She messages Aban, who is now late to Mac'Aye Boh'Leif. Thus, the rest of the Pod misses the first time Tessa willingly identifies herself as a member of Prism. Aban is safe and will be along in a few days.
• Tatrin recognizes Cordelia's faculty crest from his life on the surface. She was believed drowned at sea 20 years ago, but doesn't look 20 years older.
• When Prism unilaterally follows Citalli's example and declines pay, Mr. Codger gives Tatrin a luckstone.

Before Battle:

• Also traveling with Prism to battle: Mr.Codger, Hathel (and all-elf pod), and a third pod recently un-named (they were the Misfits, their songs were better).
• The Pod learns that Mr. Codger wanted to shrug off his parents' anger at the enslavement of teh Locathah and seek a path to peace. 
• Mr. Codger invites Unknown to join him in a special task during combat.
• Citalli and Tatrin Varleave Tako to take care of Unknown away from the battlefield.

During Battle:

• The Sahuagin attack against the village is too spread out to manage effectively. The pods split up. Hathel and the Pod Formerly Knows as Misfits immediately run into trouble. Mr. Codger struggles at his attempts to assist from a distance, but boosts Rothilian with the ability to heal from a great distance.
• The have starved their sharks to create vicious attacks against the livestock.
• Prism begins with moderate success, but quickly get too spread out and Milagros takes a spear to the chest. Nearly everyone has a dicey life-or-death moment, but everyone survives. Hathel is less lucky.
• Unknown arrives in a stunning display of violence to eviscerate the remaining Sahuagin.

After Battle:

• Tatrin Var confirms that the sharks were abnormally starved in preparation for the attack.
• Tressa Shadowbane notices that the Sahuagin have the barest hint of the red-rimmed eyes they've seen before.

• After the Pod's long journey in search of a particular shoalmaster to inform her about the Sahuagin communication system, Aban is not here - but still due to arrive.
• In the meantime, the Pod decides to investigate the most pressing of the available jobs: a lost child, and a lost elder.

• Cece's son Doogie vanished after an argument with his mother, but not until he played hide and seek with his many siblings.
• Doogie won the game by falling asleep under a bed, and stopped the search before it even started by waking up and wandering into the discussion.

• The elderly man's caregiver was looking after her nieces, and unable to follow Xowl along his daily route to ensure his safe return home.
• The Pod found Xowl on a bench watching the hook line that catches arriving packages and sends departing neighbors as floating villages and transport ride past. 
• Xowl, a history teacher, bartered cooperation in returning home for stories of the Pod's travels. Their stories triggered a memory of a symbol, and he suggested they might learn more at Sanerek Ath Ansrivarr.

• On the party's route in search of Xowl, they were warned away from a region of town where illness was being treated. Citalli suggested to Tressa Shadowbane that they ought to go help.
• Citalli, Tressa, and Milagros investigated the sick house, while Tatrin Var watched through Tako's eyes.
• They found Mr. Codger healing the patients with more power than their own healing magic, listened long enough to learn that disease seemed to be tied to exposure over time to a particular farm environment, and left.
• Tako turned his spy powers on Unknown, who was practicing his sneaky celebrity impressions. He also caught a stolen moment with the sphere, which nobody but Tressa knew Roth had. Bah bum baaaaah!

• After waking from their fancy elf trances, Xendario and Roth were the first to notice their Pod emblems glowing and pulling.
• The emblems compelled all the pods in the region to a central meeting location, much to Tressa's chagrin.
• Mr. Codger announced an imminent Sahuagin attack, and invited volunteers to accompany him to battle alongside Valiance, expected to arrive on site.
• Tatrin nearly raced off before Xen asked the Pod what they wanted to do. Mila hesitated, knowing that risking her life know could endanger Tressa's in the future. With the crowd nearly gone, Prism agreed to swim off to battle.